As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 5, 2009
Registration No. 333-
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
FORM S-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
| Delaware | 73-1599053 | |
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) |
(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
One Williams Center
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74172
(918) 574-7000
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Lonny E. Townsend
Magellan GP, LLC
One Williams Center
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74172
(918) 574-7030
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copy to:
Brett E. Braden
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
1001 Fannin, Suite 2500
Houston, Texas 77002-6760
(713) 758-2222
Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: From time to time after this Registration Statement becomes effective.
If the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box. ¨
If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, other than securities offered only in connection with dividend or interest reinvestment plans, check the following box. x
If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ¨
If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.D. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box. x
If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.D. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box. ¨
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “smaller reporting company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
| Large accelerated filer | x | Accelerated filer | ¨ | |||
| Non-accelerated filer | ¨ (Do not check if a smaller reporting company) | Smaller reporting company | ¨ | |||
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
| Title of each class of securities to be registered |
Amount to be registered/proposed maximum offering price per unit/ proposed maximum aggregate offering price/ amount of registration fee (1) | |
| Common Units(2) |
||
| Debt Securities |
||
| (1) | An indeterminate aggregate offering price or number of the securities of each identified class is being registered as may be issued from time to time at indeterminate prices. Separate consideration may or may not be received for securities that are being registered that are issued in exchange for, or upon conversion or exercise of, the debt securities being registered hereunder. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r), the registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fee. |
| (2) | Each common unit registered hereunder includes an associated unit purchase right. Until the occurrence of certain prescribed events, none of which has occurred, the unit purchase rights are not exercisable and may be transferred only with the common units. No separate consideration is payable for the unit purchase rights. |
PROSPECTUS
[MAGELLAN LOGO]
MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
Common Units
Representing Limited Partner Interests
Debt Securities
We may from time to time offer and sell common units and debt securities. Our debt securities that we issue under this prospectus may be guaranteed by one or more of our subsidiaries (other than Magellan GP, LLC, our general partner, and its subsidiaries), which we refer to as “Subsidiary Guarantors.” We may offer and sell these securities to or through one or more underwriters, dealers and agents, or directly to purchasers, on a continuous or delayed basis. This prospectus describes the general terms of these securities. The specific terms of any securities we may offer and the specific manner in which we offer them will be included in a supplement to this prospectus relating to that offering.
You should carefully read this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement before you invest. You also should read the documents to which we have referred you in the “Where You Can Find More Information” section of this prospectus for information about us and our financial statements. This prospectus may not be used to consummate sales of securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
Our common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “MMP.” We will provide information in any applicable prospectus supplement regarding the trading market, if any, for any debt securities we may offer.
Investing in our securities involves risks. Limited partnerships are inherently different from corporations. You should carefully consider the risk factors beginning on page 3 of this prospectus and in the applicable prospectus supplement before you make an investment in our securities.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is November 5, 2009.
| 1 | ||
| 3 | ||
| 4 | ||
| 6 | ||
| 6 | ||
| 7 | ||
| 18 | ||
| 21 | ||
| DESCRIPTION OF OUR AMENDED AND RESTATED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT |
23 | |
| 30 | ||
| 44 | ||
| 46 | ||
| 46 | ||
| 46 | ||
| 46 |
You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and the documents we have incorporated by reference. We have not authorized anyone else to provide you with any other information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it.
We are not making an offer of these securities in any state where the offer is not permitted.
You should not assume that the information contained in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front cover of such document. You should not assume that the information contained in the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the respective dates of those documents. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates. We will disclose any material changes regarding those matters in an amendment to this prospectus, a prospectus supplement or a future filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
i
This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or SEC, using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf process, we may, from time to time, offer and sell any combination of the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings. This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities we may offer. Each time we offer and sell securities with this prospectus, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering. The prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read both the prospectus and the prospectus supplement relating to the securities offered to you together with the additional information described under the heading “Where You Can Find More Information.” To the extent information in this prospectus is inconsistent with information contained in a prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the prospectus supplement.
As used in this prospectus, “we,” “us,” “our” and “Magellan Midstream Partners” mean Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and, where the context requires, include our operating subsidiaries, but does not include our general partner. As used in this prospectus, “MGG” means Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P., the former owner of our general partner (referred to as such herein), Magellan GP, LLC.
1
MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P.
We are a publicly traded limited partnership that was formed in August 2000 to own, operate and acquire a diversified portfolio of complementary energy assets. We are principally engaged in the transportation, storage and distribution of refined petroleum products.
Our principal executive offices are located in One Williams Center, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74172 and our phone number is (918) 574-7000.
Recent Developments
The Simplification
On September 30, 2009, we completed a simplification (the “Simplification”) of our capital structure pursuant to an Agreement Relating to Simplification of Capital Structure, dated as of March 3, 2009 (the “Simplification Agreement”) by and among us and our general partner and MGG and its general partner. Pursuant to the Simplification Agreement, effective as of September 28, 2009, we amended and restated our partnership agreement to (i) provide for the transformation of our incentive distribution rights and the approximate 2% general partner interest in us held by our general partner into common units and a non-economic general partner interest (the “transformation”); (ii) eliminate our general partner’s right to acquire all of our limited partner interests in the event our general partner or its affiliates were to own 80% or more of our limited partner interests; (iii) eliminate our general partner’s contractual right to withdraw from us and (iv) provide that our general partner may not be removed without the unanimous vote of all our common unitholders. Our common unitholders approved the Simplification Agreement and our amended and restated partnership agreement on September 25, 2009.
As a result of the transformation and other matters contemplated by the Simplification, our general partner is now wholly owned by us but will continue to manage us by virtue of the non-economic general partner interest in us that it owns. Our common unitholders will elect all of the directors of our general partner. We have also assumed all of the liabilities of the subsidiaries of our general partner that directly and indirectly owned all of our incentive distribution rights. We have also assumed all of the liabilities of MGG, which dissolved and wound-up its affairs as of September 30, 2009. MGG unitholders received approximately 39.6 million of our common units in the liquidation of MGG, resulting in the dilution of the ownership of our unitholders.
For additional information regarding the Simplification and other matters contemplated thereby, please read our Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on March 4, 2009, August 10, 2009, September 30, 2009 and November 3, 2009, respectively, incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
2
An investment in our securities involves risks. Before you invest in our securities you should carefully consider the risk factors included in our most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and any Current Reports on Form 8-K, which are incorporated herein by reference, and those risk factors that may be included in the applicable prospectus supplement, together with all of the other information contained in or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement as provided under “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference.” This prospectus also contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Please read “Information Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.”
If any of these risks were to materialize, our business, financial condition or results of operation could be adversely affected. In that case, our ability to make distributions to our unitholders or pay interest on, or the principal of, any debt securities may be reduced, the trading price of our securities could decline and you could lose all or part of your investment.
3
INFORMATION REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus include forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. These forward-looking statements are identified as any statement that does not relate strictly to historical or current facts.
Forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “position,” “projection,” “strategy,” “should” or “will” or the negative of those terms or other variations of them or by comparable terminology. Although we believe our forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, statements made regarding future results are subject to numerous assumptions, uncertainties and risks (including the risks described elsewhere in this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement and in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement) that may cause future results to be materially different from the results stated or implied in this document.
The following are important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from any results projected, forecasted, estimated or budgeted:
| • | overall demand for refined petroleum products, natural gas liquids, crude oil and ammonia in the United States; |
| • | price fluctuations for refined petroleum products and natural gas liquids and expectations about future prices for these products; |
| • | changes in general economic conditions, interest rates and price levels in the United States; |
| • | changes in the financial condition of our customers; |
| • | our ability to secure financing in the credit and capital markets in amounts and on terms that will allow us to execute our growth strategy and maintain adequate liquidity; |
| • | development of alternative energy sources, increased use of biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel, increased conservation or fuel efficiency, regulatory developments or other trends that could affect demand for our services; |
| • | changes in the throughput or interruption in service on petroleum products pipelines owned and operated by third parties and connected to our assets; |
| • | changes in demand for storage in our petroleum products terminals; |
| • | changes in supply patterns for our marine terminals due to geopolitical events; |
| • | our ability to manage interest rate and commodity price exposures; |
| • | changes in our tariff rates implemented by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the United States Surface Transportation Board and state regulatory agencies; |
| • | shut-downs or cutbacks at major refineries, petrochemical plants, ammonia production facilities or other businesses that use our services; |
| • | weather interference with business operations or project construction, including weather patterns materially different than historical trends; |
| • | an increase in the competition our operations encounter; |
| • | the occurrence of natural disasters, terrorism, operational hazards or unforeseen interruptions for which we are not adequately insured; |
4
| • | the occurrence of environmental liabilities or events that are not covered by indemnity, insurance or existing reserves; |
| • | the treatment of us as a corporation for federal or state income tax purposes or if we become subject to significant forms of other taxation; |
| • | our ability to identify growth projects or to complete identified growth projects on time and at projected costs; |
| • | our ability to make and integrate acquisitions and successfully implement our business strategy; |
| • | the impact of current and future laws and regulations to which we are subject, including tax withholding issues, safety, environmental and employment laws and regulations; |
| • | the cost and effects of legal and administrative claims and proceedings against us or our subsidiaries; |
| • | the amount of our indebtedness, which could make us vulnerable to general adverse economic and industry conditions, limit our ability to borrow additional funds, place us at competitive disadvantages compared to our competitors that have less debt or could have other adverse consequences; |
| • | the effect of changes in accounting policies; |
| • | the potential that our internal controls may not be adequate, weaknesses may be discovered or remediation of any identified weaknesses may not be successful and the impact these could have on our unit price; |
| • | continued creditworthiness of, and performance by, our counterparties, including financial institutions, with which we do business; |
| • | the success of our risk management activities; |
| • | shortages, disruptions or cost increases of supplies, material and labor; |
| • | global and domestic economic repercussions from terrorist activities and the government’s response thereto; and |
| • | other factors and uncertainties inherent in the transportation, storage and distribution of refined petroleum products. |
You should not put undue reliance on any forward-looking statements. When considering forward-looking statements, please review the section titled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus and the risk factors described in any applicable prospectus supplement, together with those in our latest Annual Report on Form 10-K, and any updates to those risk factors included in our subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q or Current Reports on Form 8-K. Except as required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend to update forward-looking statements and information.
5
RATIO OF EARNINGS TO FIXED CHARGES
We have computed our ratio of earnings to fixed charges for the nine months ended September 30, 2009 and for each of our fiscal years ended December 31, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004. The computation of earnings to fixed charges is set forth on Exhibit 12.1 to the Registration Statement of which this prospectus forms a part.
Our ratio of earnings to fixed charges are set forth below for the periods indicated:
| Year Ended December 31, | Nine Months Ended September 30, | |||||||||||
| 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | |||||||
| Ratio of earnings to fixed charges |
2.9 | 3.1 | 4.1 | 5.0 | 7.0 | 3.7 | ||||||
Ratio of earnings to fixed charges is calculated by dividing earnings by fixed charges from operations for the periods indicated. For purposes of calculating the ratio of earnings to fixed charges: (a) fixed charges represents interest expense (including amounts capitalized), amortization of debt costs and the portion of rental expense representing the interest factor; and (b) earnings represents the aggregate of income from continuing operations (before adjustment for income taxes, extraordinary loss (gain), earnings from equity investments and cumulative effect of change in accounting principle), fixed charges, amortization of capitalized interest and distributions from equity investment, less capitalized interest.
We intend to use the net proceeds from the sales of our securities as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.
6
DESCRIPTION OF OUR DEBT SECURITIES
We will issue our debt securities under an indenture among us, as issuer, the Trustee (as herein defined) and any Subsidiary Guarantors (as named and defined therein, but not to include our general partner or any of its subsidiaries). The debt securities will be governed by the provisions of the Indenture and those made part of the Indenture by reference to the Trust Indenture Act of 1939. We, the Trustee and any Subsidiary Guarantors may enter into supplements to the Indenture from time to time. If we decide to issue subordinated debt securities, we will issue them under a separate Indenture containing subordination provisions.
This description is a summary of the material provisions of the debt securities and the Indentures. We urge you to read the forms of senior indenture and subordinated indenture filed as exhibits to the Registration Statement of which this prospectus is a part because those Indentures, and not this description, govern your rights as a holder of debt securities. References in this prospectus to an “Indenture” refer to the particular Indenture under which we issue a series of debt securities.
General
The Debt Securities
Any series of debt securities that we issue:
| • | will be our general obligations; |
| • | will be general obligations of any Subsidiary Guarantors that guarantee that series; and |
| • | may be subordinated to our senior indebtedness, with any guarantees also being subordinated to any senior indebtedness. |
The Indenture does not limit the total amount of debt securities that we may issue. We may issue debt securities under the Indenture from time to time in separate series, up to the aggregate amount authorized for each such series.
We will prepare a prospectus supplement and either an indenture supplement or a resolution of the board of directors of our general partner and accompanying officers’ certificate relating to any series of debt securities that we offer, which will include specific terms relating to some or all of the following:
| • | the form and title of the debt securities; |
| • | the total principal amount of the debt securities; |
| • | the date or dates on which the debt securities may be issued; |
| • | the portion of the principal amount which will be payable if the maturity of the debt securities is accelerated; |
| • | any right we may have to defer payments of interest by extending the dates payments are due and whether interest on those deferred amounts will be payable; |
| • | the dates on which the principal and premium, if any, of the debt securities will be payable; |
| • | the interest rate which the debt securities will bear and the interest payment dates for the debt securities; |
| • | any optional redemption provisions; |
| • | any sinking fund or other provisions that would obligate us to repurchase or otherwise redeem the debt securities; |
| • | whether the debt securities are entitled to the benefits of any guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantors; |
7
| • | whether the debt securities may be issued in amounts other than $1,000 each or multiples thereof; |
| • | any changes to or additional Events of Default or covenants; |
| • | the subordination, if any, of the debt securities and any changes to the subordination provisions of the Indenture; and |
| • | any other terms of the debt securities. |
This description of debt securities will be deemed modified, amended or supplemented by any description of any series of debt securities set forth in a prospectus supplement related to that series.
The prospectus supplement will also describe any material United States federal income tax consequences or other special considerations regarding the applicable series of debt securities, including those relating to:
| • | debt securities with respect to which payments of principal, premium or interest are determined with reference to an index or formula, including changes in prices of particular securities, currencies or commodities; |
| • | debt securities with respect to which principal, premium or interest is payable in a foreign or composite currency; |
| • | debt securities that are issued at a discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate that at the time of issuance is below market rates; and |
| • | variable rate debt securities that are exchangeable for fixed rate debt securities. |
At our option, we may make interest payments by check mailed to the registered holders of any debt securities not in global form or, if so stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, at the option of a holder by wire transfer to an account designated by the holder.
Unless otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement, fully registered securities may be transferred or exchanged at the office of the Trustee at which its corporate trust business is principally administered in the United States, subject to the limitations provided in the Indenture, without the payment of any service charge, other than any applicable tax or governmental charge.
Any funds we pay to a paying agent for the payment of amounts due on any debt securities that remain unclaimed for two years will be returned to us, and the holders of the debt securities must look only to us for payment after that time.
The Subsidiary Guarantees
Our payment obligations under any series of debt securities may be jointly and severally, fully and unconditionally guaranteed by one or more Subsidiary Guarantors. If a series of debt securities is so guaranteed, the Subsidiary Guarantors will execute a notation of guarantee as further evidence of their guarantee. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any guarantee by the Subsidiary Guarantors.
The obligations of each Subsidiary Guarantor under its guarantee of the debt securities will be limited to the maximum amount that will not result in the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantor under the guarantee constituting a fraudulent conveyance or fraudulent transfer under federal or state law, after giving effect to:
| • | all other contingent and fixed liabilities of the Subsidiary Guarantor; and |
| • | any collections from or payments made by or on behalf of any other Subsidiary Guarantors in respect of the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantor under its guarantee. |
8
The guarantee of any Subsidiary Guarantor may be released under certain circumstances. If no default has occurred and is continuing under the Indenture, and to the extent not otherwise prohibited by the Indenture, a Subsidiary Guarantor will be unconditionally released and discharged from the guarantee:
| • | automatically upon any sale, exchange or transfer, to any person that is not our affiliate, of all of our direct or indirect limited partnership or other equity interests in the Subsidiary Guarantor; |
| • | automatically upon the merger of the Subsidiary Guarantor into us or any other Subsidiary Guarantor or the liquidation and dissolution of the Subsidiary Guarantor; or |
| • | following delivery of a written notice of the release by us to the Trustee, upon the release of all guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantor of any debt of ours for borrowed money (or a guarantee of such debt), except for any series of debt securities, other than a release resulting from a payment of such guarantees. |
If a series of debt securities is guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors and is designated as subordinate to our senior indebtedness, then the guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantors will be subordinated to the senior indebtedness of the Subsidiary Guarantors to substantially the same extent as the series is subordinated to our senior indebtedness. See “—Subordination.”
Covenants
Reports
The Indenture contains the following covenant for the benefit of the holders of all series of debt securities:
So long as any debt securities are outstanding, we will:
| • | for as long as we are required to file information with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) , file with the Trustee, within 30 days after we file with the SEC, copies of the annual reports and of the information, documents and other reports that we are required to file with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act; and |
| • | if we are not required to file information with the SEC pursuant to the Exchange Act, file with the Trustee, within 30 days after we would have been required to file with the SEC, financial statements and a Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, both comparable to what we would have been required to file with the SEC had we been subject to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. |
Other Covenants
A series of debt securities may contain additional financial and other covenants applicable to us and our subsidiaries. The applicable prospectus supplement will contain a description of any such covenants that are added to the Indenture specifically for the benefit of holders of a particular series.
Events of Default, Remedies and Notice
Events of Default
Each of the following events will be an “Event of Default” under the Indenture with respect to a series of debt securities:
| • | default in any payment of interest on any debt securities of that series when due that continues for 30 days; |
| • | default in the payment of principal of or premium, if any, on any debt securities of that series when due at its stated maturity, upon redemption, upon required repurchase or otherwise; |
| • | default in the payment of any sinking fund payment on any debt securities of that series when due; |
9
| • | failure by us or, if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors, by a Subsidiary Guarantor, to comply for 60 days after notice with the other agreements contained in the Indenture, any supplement to the Indenture or any board resolution authorizing the issuance of that series; |
| • | certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of us or, if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors, of the Subsidiary Guarantors; or |
| • | if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors: |
| • | any of the guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantors ceases to be in full force and effect, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture; |
| • | any of the guarantees by the Subsidiary Guarantors is declared null and void in a judicial proceeding; or |
| • | any Subsidiary Guarantor denies or disaffirms its obligations under the Indenture or its guarantee. |
Exercise of Remedies
If an Event of Default, other than an Event of Default with respect to us described in the fifth bullet point above, occurs and is continuing, the Trustee or the holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may declare the entire principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all the debt securities of that series to be due and payable immediately.
A default under the fourth bullet point above will not constitute an Event of Default until the Trustee or the holders of 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series notify us and, if the series of debt securities is guaranteed by the Subsidiary Guarantors, the Subsidiary Guarantors, of the default and such default is not cured within 60 days after receipt of notice.
If an Event of Default with respect to us described in the fifth bullet point above occurs and is continuing, the principal of, premium, if any, and accrued and unpaid interest on all outstanding debt securities of all series will become immediately due and payable without any declaration of acceleration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any holders.
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series may rescind any declaration of acceleration by the Trustee or the holders with respect to the debt securities of that series, but only if:
| • | rescinding the declaration of acceleration would not conflict with any judgment or decree of a court of competent jurisdiction; and |
| • | all existing Events of Default with respect to that series have been cured or waived, other than the nonpayment of principal, premium, if any, or interest on the debt securities of that series that have become due solely by the declaration of acceleration. |
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing, the Trustee will be under no obligation, except as otherwise provided in the Indenture, to exercise any of the rights or powers under the Indenture at the request or direction of any of the holders unless such holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity or security against any costs, liability or expense. No holder may pursue any remedy with respect to the Indenture or the debt securities of any series, except to enforce the right to receive payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest when due, unless:
| • | such holder has previously given the Trustee notice that an Event of Default with respect to that series is continuing; |
| • | holders of at least 25% in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have requested that the Trustee pursue the remedy; |
10
| • | such holders have offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity or security against any cost, liability or expense; |
| • | the Trustee has not complied with such request within 60 days after the receipt of the request and the offer of indemnity or security; and |
| • | the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series have not given the Trustee a direction that, in the opinion of the Trustee, is inconsistent with such request within such 60-day period. |
The holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of a series have the right, subject to certain restrictions, to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee or of exercising any right or power conferred on the Trustee with respect to that series of debt securities. The Trustee, however, may refuse to follow any direction that:
| • | conflicts with law; |
| • | is inconsistent with any provision of the Indenture; |
| • | the Trustee determines is unduly prejudicial to the rights of any other holder; or |
| • | would involve the Trustee in personal liability. |
Notice of Event of Default
Within 30 days after the occurrence of an Event of Default, we are required to give written notice to the Trustee and indicate the status of the default and what action we are taking or propose to take to cure the default. In addition, we and any Subsidiary Guarantors are required to deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, a compliance certificate indicating that we and any Subsidiary Guarantors have complied with all covenants contained in the Indenture or whether any default or Event of Default has occurred during the previous year.
If an Event of Default occurs and is continuing and is known to the Trustee, the Trustee must mail to each holder a notice of the Event of Default by the later of 90 days after the Event of Default occurs or 30 days after the Trustee knows of the Event of Default. Except in the case of a default in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest with respect to any debt securities, the Trustee may withhold such notice, but only if and so long as the board of directors, the executive committee or a committee of directors or responsible officers of the Trustee in good faith determines that withholding such notice is in the interests of the holders.
Amendments and Waivers
We may amend the Indenture without the consent of any holder of debt securities to:
| • | cure any ambiguity, omission, defect or inconsistency; |
| • | convey, transfer, assign, mortgage or pledge any property to or with the Trustee; |
| • | provide for the assumption by a successor of our obligations under the Indenture; |
| • | add Subsidiary Guarantors with respect to the debt securities; |
| • | change or eliminate any restriction on the payment of principal of, or premium, if any, on any subordinated debt securities; |
| • | secure the debt securities or any guarantee; |
11
| • | add covenants for the benefit of the holders or surrender any right or power conferred upon us or any Subsidiary Guarantor; |
| • | make any change that does not adversely affect the rights under the Indenture of any holder; |
| • | add or appoint a successor or separate Trustee; |
| • | comply with any requirement of the SEC in connection with the qualification of the Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act; or |
| • | establish the form or terms of any new series of debt securities. |
In addition, we may amend the Indenture if the holders of a majority in principal amount of all debt securities of each series that would be affected under the Indenture consent to it. We may not, however, without the consent of each holder of outstanding debt securities of each series that would be affected, amend the Indenture to:
| • | reduce the percentage in principal amount of debt securities of any series whose holders must consent to an amendment; |
| • | reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest on any debt securities; |
| • | reduce the principal of or extend the stated maturity of any debt securities; |
| • | reduce any premium payable upon the redemption of any debt securities or change the time at which any debt securities may or shall be redeemed; |
| • | make any debt securities payable in other than U.S. dollars; |
| • | impair the right of any holder to receive payment of premium, if any, principal or interest with respect to such holder’s debt securities on or after the applicable due date; |
| • | impair the right of any holder to institute suit for the enforcement of any payment with respect to such holder’s debt securities; |
| • | release any security that has been granted in respect of the debt securities, other than in accordance with the Indenture; |
| • | make any change in the amendment provisions which require each holder’s consent; |
| • | make any change in the waiver provisions; or |
| • | release a Subsidiary Guarantor other than as provided in the Indenture or modify such Subsidiary Guarantor’s guarantee in any manner adverse to the holders. |
The consent of the holders is not necessary under the Indenture to approve the particular form of any proposed amendment. It is sufficient if such consent approves the substance of the proposed amendment. After an amendment under the Indenture requiring the consent of the holders of any series of debt securities becomes effective, we are required to mail to all holders a notice briefly describing the amendment with respect to other holders. The failure to give, or any defect in, such notice to any holder, however, will not impair or affect the validity of the amendment with respect to other holders.
The holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each affected series, on behalf of all such holders, and subject to certain rights of the Trustee, may waive:
| • | compliance by us or a Subsidiary Guarantor with certain restrictive provisions of the Indenture; and |
| • | any past default under the Indenture, subject to certain rights of the Trustee under the Indenture; |
12
except that such majority of holders may not waive a default:
| • | in the payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest; or |
| • | in respect of a provision that under the Indenture cannot be amended without the consent of all holders of the series of debt securities that is affected. |
Defeasance
At any time, we may terminate, with respect to debt securities of a particular series, all our obligations under such series of debt securities and the Indenture, which we call a “legal defeasance.” If we decide to make a legal defeasance, however, we may not terminate certain of our obligations, including those:
| • | relating to the defeasance trust; |
| • | to register the transfer or exchange of the debt securities of that series; |
| • | to replace mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen debt securities of that series; or |
| • | to maintain a registrar and paying agent in respect of the debt securities of that series. |
If we exercise either our legal defeasance option or our covenant defeasance option, any subsidiary guarantee will terminate with respect to that series of debt securities.
At any time we may also effect a “covenant defeasance,” which means we have elected to terminate our obligations under:
| • | covenants applicable to a series of debt securities and described in the prospectus supplement applicable to such series, other than as described in such prospectus supplement; |
| • | the bankruptcy provisions with respect to the Subsidiary Guarantors, if any; and |
| • | the guarantee provision described under “Events of Default” above with respect to that series of debt securities. |
We may exercise our legal defeasance option notwithstanding our prior exercise of our covenant defeasance option. If we exercise our legal defeasance option, payment of the affected series of debt securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default with respect to that series. If we exercise our covenant defeasance option, payment of the affected series of debt securities may not be accelerated because of an Event of Default specified in the fourth, fifth (with respect only to a Subsidiary Guarantor, if any) or sixth bullet points under “— Events of Default” above or an Event of Default that is added specifically for such series and described in a prospectus supplement.
In order to exercise either defeasance option, we must:
| • | irrevocably deposit in trust with the Trustee money or certain U.S. government obligations for the payment of principal, premium, if any, and interest on the series of debt securities to redemption or final maturity, as the case may be; |
| • | comply with certain other conditions, including that no default has occurred and is continuing after the deposit in trust; and |
| • | deliver to the Trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that holders of the series of debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and defeasance had not occurred. In the case of legal defeasance only, such opinion of counsel must be based on a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or other change in applicable federal income tax law. |
13
No Personal Liability of General Partner
Magellan GP, LLC, our general partner, and its directors, officers and employees, as such, will not be liable for:
| • | any of our obligations or the obligations of the Subsidiary Guarantors under the debt securities, the Indentures or the guarantees; or |
| • | any claim based on, in respect of, or by reason of, such obligations or their creation. |
By accepting a debt security, each holder will be deemed to have waived and released all such liability. This waiver and release are part of the consideration for our issuance of the debt securities. This waiver may not be effective, however, to waive liabilities under the federal securities laws and it is the view of the SEC that such a waiver is against public policy.
Subordination
Debt securities of a series may be subordinated to our “Senior Indebtedness,” which we define generally to include any obligation created or assumed by us (or, if the series is guaranteed, the Subsidiary Guarantors) for the repayment of borrowed money and any guarantee therefor, whether outstanding or hereafter issued, unless, by the terms of the instrument creating or evidencing such obligation, it is provided that such obligation is subordinate or not superior in right of payment to the debt securities (or, if the series is guaranteed, the guarantee of the Subsidiary Guarantors), or to other obligations which are pari passu with or subordinated to the debt securities (or, if the series is guaranteed, the guarantee of the Subsidiary Guarantors). Subordinated debt securities will be subordinate in right of payment, to the extent and in the manner set forth in the Indenture and the prospectus supplement relating to such series, to the prior payment of all of our indebtedness and that of any Subsidiary Guarantor that is designated as “Senior Indebtedness” with respect to the series.
The holders of Senior Indebtedness of ours or, if applicable, of a Subsidiary Guarantor, will receive payment in full of the Senior Indebtedness before holders of subordinated debt securities will receive any payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest with respect to the subordinated debt securities upon any payment or distribution of our assets or, if applicable to any series of outstanding debt securities, the Subsidiary Guarantors’ assets, to creditors:
| • | upon a liquidation or dissolution of us or, if applicable to any series of outstanding debt securities, the Subsidiary Guarantors; or |
| • | in a bankruptcy, receivership or similar proceeding relating to us or, if applicable to any series of outstanding debt securities, to the Subsidiary Guarantors. |
Until the Senior Indebtedness is paid in full, any distribution to which holders of subordinated debt securities would otherwise be entitled will be made to the holders of Senior Indebtedness, except that the holders of subordinated debt securities may receive units representing limited partner interests in us and any debt securities that are subordinated to Senior Indebtedness to at least the same extent as the subordinated debt securities.
If we do not pay any principal, premium, if any, or interest with respect to Senior Indebtedness within any applicable grace period (including at maturity), or any other default on Senior Indebtedness occurs and the maturity of the Senior Indebtedness is accelerated in accordance with its terms, we may not:
| • | make any payments of principal, premium, if any, or interest with respect to subordinated debt securities; |
| • | make any deposit for the purpose of defeasance of the subordinated debt securities; or |
| • | repurchase, redeem or otherwise retire any subordinated debt securities, except that in the case of subordinated debt securities that provide for a mandatory sinking fund, we may deliver subordinated debt securities to the Trustee in satisfaction of our sinking fund obligation, |
14
unless, in either case,
| • | the default has been cured or waived and any declaration of acceleration has been rescinded; |
| • | the Senior Indebtedness has been paid in full in cash; or |
| • | we and the Trustee receive written notice approving the payment from the representatives of each issue of “Designated Senior Indebtedness.” |
Generally, “Designated Senior Indebtedness” will include:
| • | any specified issue of Senior Indebtedness of at least $100 million; and |
| • | any other Senior Indebtedness that we may designate in respect of any series of subordinated debt securities. |
During the continuance of any default, other than a default described in the immediately preceding paragraph, that may cause the maturity of any Designated Senior Indebtedness to be accelerated immediately without further notice, other than any notice required to effect such acceleration, or the expiration of any applicable grace periods, we may not pay the subordinated debt securities for a period called the “Payment Blockage Period.” A Payment Blockage Period will commence on the receipt by us and the Trustee of written notice of the default, called a “Blockage Notice,” from the representative of any Designated Senior Indebtedness specifying an election to effect a Payment Blockage Period and will end 179 days thereafter.
The Payment Blockage Period may be terminated before its expiration:
| • | by written notice from the person or persons who gave the Blockage Notice; |
| • | by repayment in full in cash of the Designated Senior Indebtedness with respect to which the Blockage Notice was given; or |
| • | if the default giving rise to the Payment Blockage Period is no longer continuing. |
Unless the holders of the Designated Senior Indebtedness have accelerated the maturity of the Designated Senior Indebtedness, we may resume payments on the subordinated debt securities after the expiration of the Payment Blockage Period.
Generally, not more than one Blockage Notice may be given in any period of 360 consecutive days. The total number of days during which any one or more Payment Blockage Periods are in effect, however, may not exceed an aggregate of 179 days during any period of 360 consecutive days.
After all Senior Indebtedness is paid in full and until the subordinated debt securities are paid in full, holders of the subordinated debt securities shall be subrogated to the rights of holders of Senior Indebtedness to receive distributions applicable to Senior Indebtedness.
As a result of the subordination provisions described above, in the event of insolvency, the holders of Senior Indebtedness, as well as certain of our general creditors, may recover more, ratably, than the holders of the subordinated debt securities.
Book Entry, Delivery and Form
We may issue debt securities of a series in the form of one or more global certificates deposited with a depositary. We expect that The Depository Trust Company, New York, New York, or “DTC,” will act as depositary. If we issue debt securities of a series in book-entry form, we will issue one or more global certificates that will be deposited with or on behalf of DTC and will not issue physical certificates to each holder. A global security may not be transferred unless it is exchanged in whole or in part for a certificated security, except that DTC, its nominees and their successors may transfer a global security as a whole to one another.
15
DTC will keep a computerized record of its participants, such as a broker, whose clients have purchased the debt securities. The participants will then keep records of their clients who purchased the debt securities. Beneficial interests in global securities will be shown on, and transfers of beneficial interests in global securities will be made only through, records maintained by DTC and its participants.
DTC advises us that it is:
| • | a limited-purpose trust company organized under the New York Banking Law; |
| • | a “banking organization” within the meaning of the New York Banking Law; |
| • | a member of the United States Federal Reserve System; |
| • | a “clearing corporation” within the meaning of the New York Uniform Commercial Code; and |
| • | a “clearing agency” registered under the provisions of Section 17A of the Exchange Act. |
The rules that apply to DTC and its participants are on file with the SEC.
DTC holds securities that its participants deposit with DTC. DTC also records the settlement among participants of securities transactions, such as transfers and pledges, in deposited securities through computerized records for participants’ accounts. This eliminates the need to exchange certificates. Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations.
We will wire principal, premium, if any, and interest payments due on the global securities to DTC’s nominee. We, any Subsidiary Guarantors, the Trustee and any paying agent will treat DTC’s nominee as the owner of the global securities for all purposes. Accordingly, we, any Subsidiary Guarantors, the Trustee and any paying agent will have no direct responsibility or liability to pay amounts due on the global securities to owners of beneficial interests in the global securities.
It is DTC’s current practice, upon receipt of any payment of principal, premium, if any, or interest, to credit participants’ accounts on the payment date according to their respective holdings of beneficial interests in the global securities as shown on DTC’s records. In addition, it is DTC’s current practice to assign any consenting or voting rights to participants, whose accounts are credited with debt securities on a record date, by using an omnibus proxy.
Payments by participants to owners of beneficial interests in the global securities, as well as voting by participants, will be governed by the customary practices between the participants and the owners of beneficial interests, as is the case with debt securities held for the account of customers registered in “street name.” Payments to holders of beneficial interests are the responsibility of the participants and not of DTC, the Trustee, any Subsidiary Guarantors or us.
Beneficial interests in global securities will be exchangeable for certificated securities with the same terms in authorized denominations only if:
| • | DTC notifies us that it is unwilling or unable to continue as depositary or if DTC ceases to be a clearing agency registered under applicable law and, in either event, a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 90 days; or |
| • | an Event of Default occurs and DTC notifies the Trustee of its decision to require that all of the debt securities of a series be represented by a global security. |
The Trustee
We use the term “Trustee” to refer to the trustee appointed with respect to any such series of debt securities. We may appoint a separate trustee for any series of debt securities. We may maintain banking and other commercial relationships with the Trustee and its affiliates in the ordinary course of business, and the Trustee may own debt securities. The applicable prospectus supplement will identify the Trustee and contain a description of our relationship, if any, with such Trustee.
16
Governing Law
The Indenture and the debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York.
17
DESCRIPTION OF OUR COMMON UNITS
General
Our common units represent limited partner interests that entitle the holders to participate in our cash distributions and to exercise the rights and privileges available to limited partners under our amended and restated partnership agreement. For a description of the rights of holders of our common units in and to cash distributions, see “Cash Distribution Policy” in this prospectus. For a description of the rights and privileges of limited partners under our amended and restated partnership agreement, including voting rights, please read “Description of Our Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement” in this prospectus and Amendment No. 1 to our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed with the SEC on November 5, 2009. We urge you to read the amended and restated partnership agreement as the agreement, and not this description, governs our common units.
Our outstanding common units are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or NYSE, under the symbol “MMP.”
Transfer Agent and Registrar
The transfer agent and registrar for our common units is Computershare Trust Company, N.A. We will pay all fees charged by the transfer agent for transfers of our common units, except the following that must be paid by our unitholders:
| • | surety bond premiums to replace lost or stolen certificates, taxes and other governmental charges; |
| • | special charges for services requested by a holder of our common units; and |
| • | other similar fees or charges. |
There is no charge to our unitholders for disbursements of cash distributions. We will indemnify the transfer agent, its agents and each of their stockholders, directors, officers and employees against all claims and losses that may arise out of acts performed or omitted for its activities in that capacity, except for any liability due to any gross negligence or intentional misconduct of the indemnified person or entity.
Transfer of Common Units
Each purchaser of our common units offered by this prospectus and any accompanying prospectus supplement must execute and deliver a transfer application whereby the purchaser requests admission as a substituted limited partner and makes representations and agrees to provisions stated in the transfer application. If this action is not taken, a purchaser will not be registered as a record holder of common units on the books of our transfer agent or recognized by us or issued a common unit certificate. Purchasers may hold common units in nominee accounts.
An assignee, pending its admission as a substituted limited partner, is entitled to an interest in us equivalent to that of a limited partner with respect to the right to share in allocations and distributions, including liquidating distributions. Our general partner will vote and exercise other powers attributable to common units owned by an assignee who has not become a substituted limited partner at the written direction of the assignee. Transferees who do not execute and deliver transfer applications will be treated neither as assignees nor as record holders of common units and will not receive distributions, federal income tax allocations or reports furnished to record holders of common units. The only right the transferees will have is the right to admission as a substituted limited partner in respect of the transferred common units upon execution of a transfer application in respect of the common units. A nominee or broker who has executed a transfer application with respect to common units held in street name or nominee accounts will receive distributions and reports pertaining to its common units.
An assignee will become a substituted limited partner for the transferred common units upon the consent of our general partner and the recording of the name of the assignee on the books and records. Our general partner may withhold its consent in its sole discretion. Our common units are securities and are transferable according to the laws governing transfer of securities. In addition to other rights acquired upon transfer, the transferor gives the transferee the right to request admission as a substituted limited partner for the transferred common units. Until a common unit has been transferred on the books, we and the transfer agent may treat the record holder of the unit as the absolute owner for all purposes, except as otherwise required by law or applicable stock exchange regulations.
18
Unit Purchase Rights Agreement
In December 2008, we entered into a unit purchase rights agreement (as amended in March 2009), with Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as rights agent, and the board of directors of our general partner declared an issuance and distribution of one right for each outstanding common unit. The issuance and distribution occurred on December 10, 2008 (the “record date”) to holders of record of our common units on that date. Under the unit purchase rights agreement, as amended, each right entitles each holder of our common units to purchase from us, under the circumstances described below, one common unit at a price of $145.00 (as the same may be adjusted, the “purchase price”).
Until the earlier to occur of (i) the tenth day following a public announcement that (A) a person has acquired beneficial ownership of 15% or more of our outstanding common units, or (B) if any person currently owns 15% or more of our outstanding common units, at such time as such person thereafter becomes the beneficial owner of any additional common units, unless such person became the beneficial owner of such additional common units as a result of certain transactions effected by us (in either case, an “acquiring person”), or (ii) the tenth business day (subject to extension) after a person commences, or announces its intention to commence, a tender offer or exchange offer the successful consummation of which would result in any person becoming the beneficial owner of the number of units necessary to be an acquiring person (the earlier of such dates being called the “distribution date”), the rights will be evidenced, with respect to any of the common unit certificates or uncertificated book entries for our common units outstanding as of the record date, by such common unit certificates with a copy of the summary of rights attached thereto or such book entries. The unit purchase rights agreement, as amended, provides that, until the distribution date, the rights will be transferred with and only with our common units. Until the distribution date, (or earlier redemption or expiration of the rights), new common unit certificates issued after the record date, upon transfer or new issuance of common units will contain a notation incorporating the unit purchase rights agreement, as amended, by reference. Until the distribution date (or earlier redemption or expiration of the rights), the surrender for transfer of any certificates for the common units, outstanding as of the record date, even without such notation or a copy of the summary of rights being attached thereto, or the transfer of any common unit outstanding on the record date represented by a book entry, will also constitute the transfer of the rights associated with the common units represented by such certificate or book entry.
As soon as practicable following the distribution date, separate certificates evidencing the rights (“right certificates”) will be mailed to holders of record of the common units as of the close of business on the distribution date and such separate right certificates alone will evidence the rights.
The rights are not exercisable until the distribution date. The rights will expire on December 3, 2011 (the “final expiration date”), unless the final expiration date is extended or unless the rights are earlier redeemed by us, in each case, as described below.
The purchase price payable, and the number of our common units or other securities or property issuable, upon exercise of the rights are subject to adjustment from time to time to prevent dilution (i) in the event of a unit distribution on, or a subdivision, combination or reclassification of, the common units, (ii) upon the grant to holders of our common units of certain rights or warrants to subscribe for or purchase common units at a price, or securities convertible into our common units with a conversion price, less than the then current market price of the common units or (iii) upon the distribution to holders of our common units of evidences of indebtedness or assets (excluding regular periodic cash distributions paid out of earnings or retained earnings or distributions payable in common units) or of subscription rights or warrants (other than those referred to above).
If, after a person or a group has become an acquiring person, we are acquired in a merger or other business combination transaction or 50% or more of our consolidated assets or earning power are sold or transferred (subject to certain exceptions) (such merger, business combination, sale or transfer a “flip-over event”), proper provision will be made so that each holder of a right, other than rights beneficially owned by the acquiring person, will thereafter have the right to receive, upon the exercise thereof at the then current exercise price of the
19
Right, the number of common units or equivalent securities of the acquiring company equal to the product of (x) the number of common units for which a right was exercisable immediately prior to the flip-over event and (y) that number of common units or equivalent securities of the acquiring company which at the time of such transaction will have a market value of two times the exercise price of the right. If any person becomes an acquiring person, proper provision shall be made so that each holder of a right, other than rights beneficially owned by the acquiring person (which will thereafter be void), will thereafter have the right to receive upon exercise that number of common units or equivalent securities having a market value of two times the exercise price of the right.
At any time after a person or group has become an acquiring person and prior to the acquisition by such person or group of 50% or more of our outstanding common units, our general partner may exchange the rights (other than rights owned by such person or group which have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of one common unit for each two common units for which each right is then exercisable pursuant to the provisions of the unit purchase rights agreement, as amended (subject to adjustment).
With certain exceptions, no adjustment in the purchase price will be required until cumulative adjustments require an adjustment of at least 1% of such purchase price. No fractional common units will be issued and in lieu thereof, an adjustment in cash will be made based on the market price of the common units on the last trading day prior to the date of exercise.
At any time prior to the earlier of (i) the tenth (10th) day following the public announcement by us or by an acquiring person that an acquiring person has become such, or such earlier date as our general partner shall become aware of the existence of an acquiring person, or (ii) the final expiration date, we, with the approval of our general partner, may redeem the rights in whole, but not in part, at a price of $0.001 per right (the “redemption price”). The redemption of the rights may be made effective at such time on such basis and with such conditions as our general partner in its sole discretion may establish. Immediately upon any redemption of the rights, the right to exercise the rights will terminate and the only right of the holders of rights will be to receive the redemption price.
As long as the rights are redeemable, the terms of the rights may be amended by us without the consent of the holders of the rights. From and after such time as the rights are no longer redeemable, no such amendment by us may materially adversely affect the interests of the holders of the rights (excluding the interest of any acquiring person) or cause the rights again to become redeemable. In no circumstances shall the redemption price be amended.
Until a right is exercised, the holder thereof, as such, will have no rights as a unitholder of us, including the right to vote or to receive distributions.
For a more complete description of the unit purchase rights agreement, as amended, please read our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on December 5, 2008 and Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 4, 2009. The description of our unit purchase rights agreement, as amended, contained herein and therein does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of that agreement and amendment no. 1 thereto, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 4.1 to our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on December 5, 2008 and as Exhibit 4.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 4, 2009, and each is incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We urge you to read the unit purchase rights agreement, as amended, as that agreement, and not this description, governs the purchase rights associated with your common units.
20
Distributions of Available Cash
General. Within approximately 45 days after the end of each fiscal quarter, we will distribute all of our available cash to unitholders of record on the applicable record date. We will make distributions of available cash to all unitholders, pro rata.
Definition of Available Cash. We define available cash in our amended and restated partnership agreement, and it generally means, for each fiscal quarter:
| • | all cash (and cash equivalents) on hand at the end of the quarter; |
| • | less the amount of cash that our general partner determines in its reasonable discretion is necessary or appropriate to: |
| • | provide for the proper conduct of our business; |
| • | comply with applicable law, any of our debt instruments, or other agreements; or |
| • | provide funds for distributions to our unitholders for any one or more of the next four quarters; |
| • | plus all cash on hand on the date of determination of available cash for the quarter resulting from working capital borrowings made after the end of the quarter. Working capital borrowings are generally borrowings that are made under our credit facility and in all cases are used solely for working capital purposes or to pay distributions to partners. |
Restrictions on our Ability to Distribute Available Cash.
There is no guarantee that we will pay distributions on the common units in any quarter. Our ability to distribute available cash is contractually restricted by the terms of our credit facilities. Our credit facilities contain covenants requiring us to maintain certain financial ratios. We are prohibited from making any distribution to unitholders if such distribution would cause an event of default or otherwise violate a covenant under our credit facility.
Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner to the extent that at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, all liabilities of the limited partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership.
Our General Partner’s Interest
As a result of the Simplification, our general partner’s approximate 2% general partner interest in us was transformed into our common units and a non-economic general partner interest in us, its incentive distribution rights were transformed into our common units, and all of its resulting common units in us were ultimately distributed to the MGG unitholders upon the liquidation of MGG. Therefore, our general partner does not have any interest in our distributions. For additional information regarding the Simplification, please read “Recent Developments- The Simplification.”
Effect of Issuance of Additional Units
We can issue additional common units or other partnership securities for consideration and under terms and conditions approved by our general partner in its sole discretion and without the approval of our unitholders. We may fund acquisitions through the issuance of additional common units or other equity securities.
Holders of any additional common units that we issue will be entitled to share equally with our then-existing unitholders in distributions of available cash. In addition, the issuance of additional interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing unitholders in our net assets. Please read “Description of Our Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement—Issuance of Additional Units.”
21
Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation
If we dissolve in accordance with our amended and restated partnership agreement, we will sell or otherwise dispose of our assets in a process called liquidation. We will first apply the proceeds of liquidation to the payment of our creditors. We will distribute any remaining proceeds to our unitholders, in accordance with their capital account balances, as adjusted to reflect any gain or loss upon the sale or other disposition of our assets in liquidation. Any adjustments to the capital accounts will be pro rata among the unitholders holding units at the time of such adjustments. Please read “Description of Our Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement—Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds.”
22
DESCRIPTION OF OUR AMENDED AND RESTATED PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT
This description is a summary of the material provisions of our amended and restated partnership agreement. The following provisions of our amended and restated partnership agreement are summarized elsewhere in this prospectus:
| • | distributions of our available cash are described under “Cash Distributions;” |
| • | allocations of taxable income and other tax matters are described under “Material Income Tax Considerations;” and |
| • | rights of holders of our common units are described under “Description of Our Common Units.” |
For a more complete description of our amended and restated partnership agreement please read Amendment No. 1 to our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on November 5, 2009. The description of our amended and restated partnership agreement contained herein and therein does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of that agreement, a copy of which is filed as Exhibit 3.1 to our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on September 30, 2009, and is incorporated by reference in this prospectus. We urge you to read the amended and restated partnership agreement as the agreement, and not this description, governs your rights as a limited partner.
Purpose
Our purpose under our amended and restated partnership agreement is to:
| • | serve as a partner or sole member of certain of our subsidiaries; |
| • | engage directly in, or enter into or form any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that Magellan OLP, L.P., Magellan Pipeline Company, L.P. and Magellan Pipeline Terminals, L.P. (collectively, our “operating partnerships”) are permitted to engage in by their respective partnership agreements and, in connection therewith, to exercise all of the rights and powers given to us under the agreements relating to such business activity; |
| • | engage directly in, or enter into or form any corporation, partnership, joint venture, limited liability company or other entity or arrangement to engage indirectly in, any business activity that our general partner approves and which lawfully may be conducted by a limited partnership organized pursuant to the Delaware Revised Uniform Limited Partnership Act as amended (the “Delaware Act”); and |
| • | do anything necessary or appropriate to the foregoing, including the making of capital contributions or loans to our operating partnerships or any subsidiary thereof. |
Our general partner is not authorized to cause us to engage, directly or indirectly, in any business activity that it reasonably determines would cause us to be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes. Our general partner is authorized in general to perform all acts deemed necessary to carry out our purposes and to conduct its business.
Power of Attorney
Each limited partner, and each person who acquires a common unit from a unitholder and executes and delivers a transfer application, grants to our general partner and, if appointed, a liquidator, a power of attorney to, among other things, execute and file documents required for our qualification, continuance or dissolution.
Status as Limited Partner or Assignee; Capital Contributions
Except as described below under “—Limited Liability,” the common units will be fully paid, and our common unitholders will not be required to make additional capital contributions to us.
23
An assignee of a common unit, after executing and delivering a transfer application, but pending its admission as a substituted limited partner, is entitled to an interest equivalent to that of a limited partner for the right to share in allocations and distributions from us, including liquidating distributions. Our general partner will vote and exercise other powers attributable to any of our common units owned by an assignee that has not become a substituted limited partner at the written direction of the assignee. Please read “—Meetings; Voting.” Transferees that do not execute and deliver a transfer application will not be treated as assignees nor as record holders of our common units, and will not receive cash distributions, federal income tax allocations or reports furnished to holders of our common units. Please read “Description of Our Common Units—Transfer of Common Units.”
Limited Liability
Assuming that a limited partner does not participate in the control of our business within the meaning of the Delaware Act and that he otherwise acts in conformity with the provisions of our amended and restated partnership agreement, his liability under the Delaware Act will be limited, except as described below, generally to the amount of capital he contributed to us in respect of his common units plus his share of any undistributed profits and assets. If it were determined, however, that the right, or exercise of the right, by our limited partners as a group:
| • | to elect the board of directors of our general partner; |
| • | to remove or replace our general partner; |
| • | to approve certain amendments to our amended and restated partnership agreement; or |
| • | to take any other action under our amended and restated partnership agreement, |
constituted “participation in the control” of our business for the purposes of the Delaware Act, then the limited partners could be held personally liable for our obligations under the laws of Delaware, to the same extent as our general partner. This liability would extend to persons who transact business with us who reasonably believe that a limited partner is a general partner based on the limited partner’s conduct. Neither our amended and restated partnership agreement nor the Delaware Act specifically provides for legal recourse against our general partner if a limited partner were to lose limited liability through any fault of our general partner. While this does not mean that a limited partner could not seek legal recourse, we know of no precedent for this type of a claim in Delaware case law.
Under the Delaware Act, a limited partnership may not make a distribution to a partner to the extent that at the time of the distribution, after giving effect to the distribution, all liabilities of the partnership, other than liabilities to partners on account of their partnership interests and liabilities for which the recourse of creditors is limited to specific property of the partnership, exceed the fair value of the assets of the limited partnership. For the purposes of determining the fair value of the assets of a limited partnership, the Delaware Act provides that the fair value of the property subject to liability of which recourse of creditors is limited shall be included in the assets of the limited partnership only to the extent that the fair value of that property exceeds the nonrecourse liability. The Delaware Act provides that a limited partner who receives a distribution and knew at the time of the distribution that the distribution was in violation of the Delaware Act is liable to the limited partnership for the amount of the distribution for three years from the date of the distribution. Under the Delaware Act, an assignee who becomes a substituted limited partner of a limited partnership is liable for the obligations of his assignor to make contributions to us, except the assignee is not obligated for liabilities unknown to him at the time he became a limited partner and that could not be ascertained from our amended and restated partnership agreement.
Issuance of Additional Securities; Preemptive Rights
Our amended and restated partnership agreement authorizes us to issue an unlimited number of additional partnership securities, including common units, for the consideration and on the terms and conditions established by our general partner in its discretion, without the approval of our common unit holders.
Holders of any additional common units we issue will be entitled to share equally with any then-existing holders of our common units in our cash distributions. In addition, the issuance of additional partnership interests may dilute the value of the interests of the then-existing holders of our common units in our net assets.
24
In accordance with Delaware law and the provisions of our amended and restated partnership agreement, we may also issue additional partnership interests that, in the sole discretion of our general partner, may have special designations, preferences, powers and duties, including special voting rights, to which common units are not entitled.
Neither our general partner nor any of the holders of our common units are entitled to preemptive rights in respect of issuances of additional common units or other partnership securities by us.
Amendments to Our Amended and Restated Partnership Agreement
Amendments to our amended and restated partnership agreement may be proposed only by or with the consent of our general partner, which may be withheld in its sole discretion. In addition, certain amendments require the approval of a majority of the members of our Conflicts Committee. Generally, any amendment must be approved by at least a majority of our outstanding common units. However, in some circumstances, more particularly described in our amended and restated partnership agreement, our general partner may make amendments to our amended and restated partnership agreement without the approval of our limited partners or assignees. Additionally, certain other amendments, as more particularly described in our amended and restated partnership agreement, require the approval of holders of at least 90% of our outstanding common units voting together as a single class.
Any amendment that materially and adversely affects the rights or preferences of any type or class of our outstanding units in relation to other types or classes of units requires the approval of at least a majority of the type or class of units so affected. Any amendment that reduces the voting percentage required to take any action must be approved by the affirmative vote of limited partners constituting not less than the voting requirement sought to be reduced. Any amendment of certain director election and nomination provisions requires approval of two-thirds of our outstanding common units.
Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets
The approval of the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units is required to, among other things, sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets in a single transaction or a series of related transactions, including by way of merger, consolidation or other combination, or to sell, exchange or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of the assets of our operating partnerships. Our general partner may, however, mortgage, pledge, hypothecate or grant a security interest in all or substantially all of our assets without that approval. Our general partner may also sell all or substantially all of our assets under a foreclosure or other realization upon those encumbrances without such approval.
If conditions specified in our amended and restated partnership agreement are satisfied and without prior approval of the limited partners, our general partner may merge us or any of our subsidiaries into, or convey all of our assets to, a newly formed entity if the sole purpose of that merger or conveyance is to change our legal form into another limited liability entity, our general partner obtains an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters and the governing instruments of the new entity provide the limited partners and our general partner with the same rights and obligations as are contained in our amended and restated partnership agreement.
Our unitholders are not entitled to dissenters’ rights of appraisal under the amended and restated partnership agreement or applicable Delaware law in the event of a merger or consolidation, a sale of substantially all of our assets or any other transaction or event for such purpose.
Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner
Our general partner cannot withdraw at any time for any reason unless it has transferred all of its general partner in us in accordance with the applicable provisions set forth in our amended and restated partnership agreement. Notwithstanding this limitation, our general partner can withdraw under the Delaware Act. If our general partner were to withdraw in violation of our amended and restated partnership agreement, our amended and restated partnership agreement sets forth the procedure for electing a successor general partner. Our general partner may not be removed unless the removal is approved by the vote of holders of 100% of our outstanding common units (including those held by our general partner and its affiliates), and we received an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of 100% of our outstanding common units.
25
Transfer of General Partner Interest
Our general partner may transfer its general partner interest in us to any person without unitholder approval. As a condition of this transfer: (i) our general partner must transfer its entire general partner interest in us in whole and not in part; (ii) the transferee must assume the rights and duties of our general partner to whose interest that transferee has succeeded and agree to be bound by the provisions of our amended and restated partnership agreement; (iii) an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters must be furnished; and (iv) the organizational documents of the owner of the general partner interest must provide for the establishment of a conflicts committee to approve certain matters with respect to our general partner and us, the selection of independent directors as members of such conflicts committee, and the submission of certain matters to the vote of such conflicts committee upon similar terms and conditions as set forth in the currently existing limited liability company agreement of our general partner so as to provide the limited partners and our general partner with the same rights and obligations as are contained in our amended and restated partnership agreement.
Termination and Dissolution
We will continue as a limited partnership until terminated under the amended and restated partnership agreement. We will dissolve upon:
| (1) | the election of our general partner to dissolve us, if approved by the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units and, if our general partner is then an affiliate of The Williams Companies, Inc., after obtaining special approval; |
| (2) | the sale of all or substantially all of the assets and properties of us and our subsidiaries; |
| (3) | the entry of a decree of judicial dissolution; or |
| (4) | the withdrawal of our general partner or any other event that results in its ceasing to be the general partner other than by reason of a transfer of its general partner interest in accordance with the amended and restated partnership agreement or withdrawal or removal following approval and admission of a successor. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of the General Partner.” |
Upon a dissolution under clause (4) and the failure to elect a successor general partner, the holders of units representing a unit majority may also elect, within specific time limitations, to reconstitute and continue our business on the same terms and conditions described in our amended and restated partnership agreement by forming a new limited partnership on terms identical to those in our amended and restated partnership agreement and having as general partner an entity approved by the holders of a majority of our outstanding common units subject to our receipt of an opinion of counsel to the effect that (1) the action would not result in the loss of limited liability of any limited partner and (2) neither us, the reconstituted limited partnership nor the operating partnerships would be treated as an association taxable as a corporation or otherwise be taxable as an entity for federal income tax purposes upon the exercise of that right to continue.
Liquidation and Distribution of Proceeds
Upon our dissolution, the liquidator authorized to wind up our affairs will, acting with all of the powers of our general partner that the liquidator deems necessary or desirable in its judgment, liquidate our assets and apply the proceeds of the liquidation as described below in “Cash Distribution Policy – Distributions of Cash Upon Liquidation.” The liquidator may defer liquidation or distribution of our assets for a reasonable period of time or distribute assets to our partners in kind if it determines that a sale would be impractical or would cause undue loss to the partners.
26
Change of Management Provisions
Our amended and restated partnership agreement contains specific provisions that are intended to discourage a person or group from attempting to remove our general partner or otherwise change management. If any person or group other than our general partner and its affiliates acquires beneficial ownership of 20% or more of any class of units then outstanding that person or group loses voting rights on all of its units. This loss of voting rights does not apply to any person or group who acquires the units from our general partner or its affiliates and any transferee of that person or group provided that our general partner notifies such transferee that such loss of voting rights does not apply. Our amended and restated partnership agreement also contains provisions limiting the ability of unitholders to call meetings or to acquire information about our operations, as well as other provisions limiting the unitholders’ ability to influence the manner or direction of management.
Meetings; Voting
Except as described under “—Change of Management Provisions,” each unitholder or assignee who is a record holder of our common units on the record date will be entitled to notice of, and to vote at, meetings of our limited partners and to act upon matters for which approvals may be solicited. Our common units that are owned by an assignee who is a record holder, but who has not yet been admitted as a limited partner, will be voted by our general partner at the written direction of the record holder.
Any action that is required or permitted to be taken by our unitholders may be taken either at a meeting of our unitholders or without a meeting if consents in writing describing the action so taken are signed by holders of the number of common units necessary to authorize or take that action at a meeting. Special meetings of our unitholders may be called by our general partner or by our unitholders owning at least 20% of the units of the class for which a meeting is proposed. An annual meeting of limited partners for the election of directors to the board of directors of our general partner, and such other matters as the board of directors submits to a vote of the limited partners, is held on the second Wednesday in May of each year or on such other date as is fixed by our general partner. Unitholders may vote either in person or by proxy at meetings. The holders of a majority of the outstanding units of the class or classes for which a meeting has been called, represented in person or by proxy, will constitute a quorum unless any action by the unitholders requires approval by holders of a greater percentage of the units, in which case the quorum will be the greater percentage.
Each record holder of units has a vote according to his percentage interest in us, although additional limited partner interests having special voting rights could be issued. Each holder of our common units is entitled to one vote for each common unit on all matters submitted to a vote of our common unit unitholders. Please read “—Issuance of Additional Securities.” MMP common units held in nominee or street name account will be voted by the broker or other nominee in accordance with the instruction of the beneficial owner unless the arrangement between the beneficial owner and his nominee provides otherwise.
Directors on our general partner’s board of directors are elected by a plurality of the votes cast by the holders of our outstanding units. A plurality occurs when more votes are cast for a candidate than those cast for an opposing candidate. Unitholders are not entitled to cumulative voting. Cumulative voting is a system for electing directors whereby a security holder is entitled to multiply his number of securities by the number of directors to be elected and cast the total number of votes for a single candidate or a select few candidates.
Our general partner may not be removed unless the removal is approved by the vote of the holders of 100% of our outstanding common units, including common units held by our general partner and its affiliates, and we receive an opinion of counsel regarding limited liability and tax matters. Any removal of our general partner is also subject to the approval of a successor general partner by the vote of the holders of 100% of our outstanding common units. Please read “—Withdrawal or Removal of Our General Partner.”
For additional information regarding the voting rights associated with our common units, please read “—Amendments to Our Partnership Agreement,” “—Merger, Sale or Other Disposition of Assets” and “—Termination and Dissolution.”
27
Board of Directors
Our unitholders elect all of the directors of our general partner. The number of directors of our general partner’s board will be between seven and nine as determined from time to time by a majority of the directors of the general partner’s board. Any decrease in the number of directors by our general partner’s board may not have the effect of shortening the term of any incumbent director. The directors will be classified with respect to their terms of office by dividing them into three classes established pursuant to the limited liability company agreement of our general partner, each class to be as nearly equal in number as possible. At each annual meeting of our unitholders, directors to replace those whose terms expire at such annual meeting will be elected to hold office until the third succeeding annual meeting. Each director will hold office for the term for which such director is elected or until such director’s earlier death, resignation or removal. Any vacancies may be filled, until the next annual meeting, by a majority of the remaining directors then in office. A director may be removed only for cause and only upon a vote of the majority of the remaining directors then in office. Our general partner’s board must maintain at least three directors meeting the independence and experience requirements of any national securities exchange on which any units or other partnership securities are listed or quoted.
Non-citizen Assignees; Redemption
If we are or become subject to federal, state or local laws or regulations that, in the reasonable determination of our general partner, create a substantial risk of cancellation or forfeiture of any property that we have an interest in because of the nationality, citizenship or other related status of any limited partner or assignee, we may redeem the units held by the limited partner or assignee at their current market price. In order to avoid any cancellation or forfeiture, our general partner may require each limited partner or assignee to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or related status. If a limited partner or assignee fails to furnish information about his nationality, citizenship or other related status within 30 days after a request for the information or our general partner determines after receipt of the information that the limited partner or assignee is not an eligible citizen, the limited partner or assignee may be treated as a non-citizen assignee. In addition to other limitations on the rights of an assignee that is not a substituted limited partner, a non-citizen assignee does not have the right to direct the voting of his units and may not receive distributions in kind upon our liquidation.
Indemnification
Under our amended and restated partnership agreement, in most circumstances, we will indemnify:
| • | our general partner; |
| • | any departing general partner; |
| • | any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner; |
| • | and person who is or was a member, partner, officer, director, employee, agent or trustee of our general partner, any departing general partner, or any affiliate of our general partner or any departing general partner; and |
| • | any person who is or was serving at the request of a general partner or any departing general partner or any affiliate of a general partner or any departing general partner as an officer, director, employee, partner, agent or trustee of another person. |
Any indemnification under these provisions will only be out of our assets. Our general partner and its affiliates will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate any indemnification. We are authorized to purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons for our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our amended and restated partnership agreement.
28
Right to Inspect Books and Records
Our general partner is required to keep appropriate books and records of our business at our principal offices. The books will be maintained for both tax and financial reporting purposes on an accrual basis. For tax and fiscal reporting purposes, our fiscal year is the calendar year.
We will furnish or make available to our record holders of common units, within 120 days after the close of each fiscal year, an annual report containing audited financial statements by our independent public accountants. Except for our fourth quarter, we will also furnish or make available unaudited financial information within 90 days after the close of each quarter. We will furnish each record holder of a unit with information reasonably required for tax reporting purposes within 90 days after the close of each calendar year.
Our amended and restated partnership agreement provides that a limited partner can, for a purpose reasonably related to his interest as a limited partner, upon reasonable written demand and at his own expense, have furnished to him:
| • | a current list of the name and last known address of each limited partner; |
| • | a copy of our tax returns; |
| • | information as to the amount of cash, and a description and statement of the agreed value of any other property or services, contributed or to be contributed by each limited partner and the date on which each became a limited partner; |
| • | copies of our amended and restated partnership agreement, certificate of limited partnership, related amendments and powers of attorney under which they have been executed; |
| • | information regarding the status of our business and financial condition; and |
| • | any other information regarding our affairs as is just and reasonable. |
Our general partner may, and intends to, keep confidential from the limited partners trade secrets or other information the disclosure of which the general partner believes in good faith is not in our or our subsidiaries’ best interests, could damage us or our subsidiaries or which we or our subsidiaries are required by law or by agreements with third parties to keep confidential.
29
This section is a summary of the material tax considerations that may be relevant to prospective unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and, unless otherwise noted in the following discussion, is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P., counsel to our general partner and us, insofar as it relates to legal conclusions with respect to matters of U.S. federal income tax law. This section is based upon current provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”), existing and proposed Treasury regulations promulgated under the Internal Revenue Code (the “Treasury Regulations”) and current administrative rulings and court decisions, all of which are subject to change. Later changes in these authorities may cause the tax consequences to vary substantially from the consequences described below. Unless the context otherwise requires, references in this section to “us” or “we” are references to Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and our operating company.
The following discussion does not comment on all federal income tax matters affecting us or our unitholders. Moreover, the discussion focuses on unitholders who are individual citizens or residents of the United States and has only limited application to corporations, estates, trusts, nonresident aliens or other unitholders subject to specialized tax treatment, such as tax-exempt institutions, foreign persons, individual retirement accounts (IRAs), employee benefit plans, real estate investment trusts (REITs) or mutual funds. Accordingly, we encourage each prospective unitholder to consult, and depend on, his own tax advisor in analyzing the federal, state, local and foreign tax consequences particular to him of the ownership or disposition of common units.
No ruling has been or will be requested from the IRS regarding our characterization as a partnership for tax purposes. Instead, we will rely on opinions of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. Unlike a ruling, an opinion of counsel represents only that counsel’s best legal judgment and does not bind the IRS or the courts. Accordingly, the opinions and statements made herein may not be sustained by a court if contested by the IRS. Any contest of this sort with the IRS may materially and adversely impact the market for the common units and the prices at which common units trade. In addition, the costs of any contest with the IRS, principally legal, accounting and related fees, will result in a reduction in cash available for distribution to our unitholders and thus will be borne indirectly by our unitholders. Furthermore, the tax treatment of us, or of an investment in us, may be significantly modified by future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions. Any modifications may or may not be retroactively applied.
All statements as to matters of law and legal conclusions, but not as to factual matters, contained in this section, unless otherwise noted, are the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and are based on the accuracy of the representations made by us.
For the reasons described below, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion with respect to the following specific federal income tax issues: (1) the treatment of a unitholder whose common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units (please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Treatment of Short Sales”); (2) whether our monthly convention for allocating taxable income and losses is permitted by existing Treasury Regulations (please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees”); and (3) whether our method for depreciating Section 743 adjustments is sustainable in certain cases (please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership— Section 754 Election”).
Partnership Status
A partnership is not a taxable entity and incurs no federal income tax liability. Instead, each partner of a partnership is required to take into account his share of items of income, gain, loss and deduction of the partnership in computing his federal income tax liability, regardless of whether cash distributions are made to him by the partnership. Distributions by a partnership to a partner are generally not taxable to the partnership or the partner unless the amount of cash distributed to him is in excess of the partner’s adjusted basis in his partnership interest.
Section 7704 of the Internal Revenue Code provides that publicly traded partnerships will, as a general rule, be taxed as corporations. However, an exception, referred to as the “Qualifying Income Exception,” exists with respect to publicly traded partnerships of which 90% or more of the gross income for every taxable year consists of “qualifying income.” Qualifying income includes income and gains derived from the transportation, storage, processing and marketing of crude oil, natural gas and products thereof and fertilizer. Other types of qualifying income include interest (other than from a financial business), dividends, gains from the sale of real property and
30
gains from the sale or other disposition of capital assets held for the production of income that otherwise constitutes qualifying income. We estimate that less than 3% of our current gross income is not qualifying income; however, this estimate could change from time to time. Based upon and subject to this estimate, the factual representations made by us and our general partner and a review of the applicable legal authorities, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that at least 90% of our current gross income constitutes qualifying income. The portion of our income that is qualifying income may change from time to time.
No ruling has been or will be sought from the IRS and the IRS has made no determination as to our status or the status of the operating partnership for federal income tax purposes. Instead, we will rely on the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. on such matters. It is the opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. that, based upon the Internal Revenue Code, its Treasury Regulations, published revenue rulings and court decisions and the representations described below, we will be classified as a partnership and our operating company will be disregarded as an entity separate from us for federal income tax purposes. In rendering its opinion, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied on factual representations made by us and our general partner. The representations made by us and our general partner upon which Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has relied include:
(a) Except for MGG GP Holdings, LLC, neither we nor any of our subsidiary entities have elected or will elect to be treated as a corporation;
(b) For each taxable year, more than 90% of our gross income has been and will be income that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined or will opine is “qualifying income” within the meaning of Section 7704(d) of the Internal Revenue Code; and
(c) Each hedging transaction that we treat as resulting in qualifying income has been and will be appropriately identified as a hedging transaction pursuant to applicable Treasury Regulations, and has been and will be associated with oil, gas, or products thereof that are held or to be held by us in activities that Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has opined or will opine result in qualifying income.
We believe that these representations have been true in the past and expect that these representations will be true in the future.
If we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, other than a failure that is determined by the IRS to be inadvertent and that is cured within a reasonable time after discovery (in which case the IRS may also require us to make adjustments with respect to our unitholders or pay other amounts), we will be treated as if we had transferred all of our assets, subject to liabilities, to a newly formed corporation, on the first day of the year in which we fail to meet the Qualifying Income Exception, in return for stock in that corporation, and then distributed that stock to the unitholders in liquidation of their interests in us. This deemed contribution and liquidation should be tax-free to unitholders and us so long as we, at that time, do not have liabilities in excess of the tax basis of our assets. Thereafter, we would be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes.
If we were treated as an association taxable as a corporation in any taxable year, either as a result of a failure to meet the Qualifying Income Exception or otherwise, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction would be reflected only on our tax return rather than being passed through to our unitholders, and our net income would be taxed to us at corporate rates. In addition, any distribution made to a unitholder would be treated as either taxable dividend income, to the extent of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, or, in the absence of earnings and profits, a nontaxable return of capital, to the extent of the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units, or taxable capital gain, after the unitholder’s tax basis in his common units is reduced to zero. Accordingly, taxation as a corporation would result in a material reduction in a unitholder’s cash flow and after-tax return and thus would likely result in a substantial reduction of the value of the units. The discussion below is based on Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion that we will be classified as a partnership for federal income tax purposes.
Limited Partner Status
Unitholders who have become our limited partners will be treated as our partners for federal income tax purposes. Also:
(a) assignees who have executed and delivered transfer applications, and are awaiting admission as limited partners, and
31
(b) unitholders whose common units are held in street name or by a nominee and who have the right to direct the nominee in the exercise of all substantive rights attendant to the ownership of their common units will be treated as partners of us for federal income tax purposes. As there is no direct or indirect controlling authority addressing assignees of common units who are entitled to execute and deliver transfer applications and thereby become entitled to direct the exercise of attendant rights, but who fail to execute and deliver transfer applications, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.’s opinion does not extend to these persons. Furthermore, a purchaser or other transferee of common units who does not execute and deliver a transfer application may not receive some federal income tax information or reports furnished to record holders of common units unless the common units are held in a nominee or street name account and the nominee or broker has executed and delivered a transfer application for those common units. A beneficial owner of common units whose units have been transferred to a short seller to complete a short sale would appear to lose his status as a partner with respect to those units for federal income tax purposes. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership— Treatment of Short Sales.” Income, gain, deductions or losses would not appear to be reportable by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes, and any cash distributions received by a unitholder who is not a partner for federal income tax purposes would therefore appear to be fully taxable as ordinary income. These holders are urged to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax consequences of holding our common units.
Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership
Flow-Through of Taxable Income. We will not pay any federal income tax. Instead, each unitholder will be required to report on his income tax return his share of our income, gains, losses and deductions without regard to whether we make cash distributions to him. Consequently, we may allocate income to a unitholder even if he has not received a cash distribution. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his allocable share of our income, gains, losses and deductions for our taxable year ending with or within his taxable year. Our taxable year ends on December 31.
Treatment of Distributions. Distributions by us to a unitholder generally will not be taxable to the unitholder for federal income tax purposes, except to the extent the amount of any such cash distribution exceeds his tax basis in his common units immediately before the distribution. Our cash distributions in excess of a unitholder’s tax basis generally will be considered to be gain from the sale or exchange of the common units, taxable in accordance with the rules described under “— Disposition of Common Units” below. Any reduction in a unitholder’s share of our liabilities for which no partner bears the economic risk of loss, known as “nonrecourse liabilities,” will be treated as a distribution by us of cash to that unitholder. To the extent our distributions cause a unitholder’s “at-risk” amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year, he must recapture any losses deducted in previous years. Please read “— Limitations on Deductibility of Losses.”
A decrease in a unitholder’s percentage interest in us because of our issuance of additional common units will decrease his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, and thus will result in a corresponding deemed distribution of cash. This deemed distribution may constitute a non-pro rata distribution. A non-pro rata distribution of money or property may result in ordinary income to a unitholder, regardless of his tax basis in his common units, if the distribution reduces the unitholder’s share of our “unrealized receivables,” including depreciation recapture, and/or substantially appreciated “inventory items,” both as defined in the Internal Revenue Code, and collectively, “Section 751 Assets.” To that extent, he will be treated as having been distributed his proportionate share of the Section 751 Assets and then having exchanged those assets with us in return for the non-pro rata portion of the actual distribution made to him. This latter deemed exchange will generally result in the unitholder’s realization of ordinary income, which will equal the excess of (1) the non-pro rata portion of that distribution over (2) the unitholder’s tax basis (generally zero) for the share of Section 751 Assets deemed relinquished in the exchange.
Basis of Common Units. A unitholder’s initial tax basis for his common units will be the amount he paid for the common units plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be increased by his share of our income and by any increases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. That basis will be decreased, but not below zero, by distributions from us, by the unitholder’s share of our losses, by any decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities and by his share of our expenditures that are not deductible in computing taxable income and are not required to be capitalized. A unitholder will have a share, generally based on his share of profits, of our nonrecourse liabilities. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
32
Limitations on Deductibility of Losses. The deduction by a unitholder of his share of our losses will be limited to the tax basis in his units and, in the case of an individual unitholder estate, trust, or a corporate unitholder (if more than 50% of the value of the corporate unitholder’s stock is owned directly or indirectly by or for five or fewer individuals or some tax-exempt organizations) to the amount for which the unitholder is considered to be “at risk” with respect to our activities, if that is less than his tax basis. A common unitholder subject to these limitations must recapture losses deducted in previous years to the extent that distributions cause his at risk amount to be less than zero at the end of any taxable year. Losses disallowed to a unitholder or recaptured as a result of these limitations will carry forward and will be allowable as a deduction to the extent that his at-risk amount is subsequently increased, provided such losses do not exceed such common unitholder’s tax basis in his common units. Upon the taxable disposition of a unit, any gain recognized by a unitholder can be offset by losses that were previously suspended by the at risk limitation but may not be offset by losses suspended by the basis limitation. Any loss previously suspended by the at-risk limitation in excess of that gain would no longer be utilizable. In general, a unitholder will be at risk to the extent of the tax basis of his units, excluding any portion of that basis attributable to his share of our nonrecourse liabilities, reduced by (i) any portion of that basis representing amounts otherwise protected against loss because of a guarantee, stop loss agreement or other similar arrangement and (ii) any amount of money he borrows to acquire or hold his units, if the lender of those borrowed funds owns an interest in us, is related to the unitholder or can look only to the units for repayment. A unitholder’s at-risk amount will increase or decrease as the tax basis of the unitholder’s units increases or decreases, other than tax basis increases or decreases attributable to increases or decreases in his share of our nonrecourse liabilities.
In addition to the basis and at-risk limitations on the deductibility of losses, the passive loss limitations generally provide that individuals, estates, trusts and some closely-held corporations and personal service corporations can deduct losses from passive activities, which are generally trade or business activities in which the taxpayer does not materially participate, only to the extent of the taxpayer’s income from those passive activities. The passive loss limitations are applied separately with respect to each publicly traded partnership. Consequently, any passive losses we generate will be available to offset only our passive income generated in the future and will not be available to offset income from other passive activities or investments (including our investments or a unitholder’s investments in other publicly traded partnerships), or a unitholder’s salary or active business income. Passive losses that are not deductible because they exceed a unitholder’s share of income we generate may be deducted in full when he disposes of his entire investment in us in a fully taxable transaction with an unrelated party. The passive loss limitations are applied after other applicable limitations on deductions, including the at-risk rules and the basis limitation.
A unitholder’s share of our net income may be offset by any of our suspended passive losses, but it may not be offset by any other current or carryover losses from other passive activities, including those attributable to other publicly traded partnerships.
Limitations on Interest Deductions. The deductibility of a non-corporate taxpayer’s “investment interest expense” is generally limited to the amount of that taxpayer’s “net investment income.” Investment interest expense includes:
| • | interest on indebtedness properly allocable to property held for investment; |
| • | our interest expense attributed to portfolio income; and |
| • | the portion of interest expense incurred to purchase or carry an interest in a passive activity to the extent attributable to portfolio income. |
The computation of a unitholder’s investment interest expense will take into account interest on any margin account borrowing or other loan incurred to purchase or carry a unit. Net investment income includes gross income from property held for investment and amounts treated as portfolio income under the passive loss rules, less deductible expenses, other than interest, directly connected with the production of investment income, but generally does not include gains attributable to the disposition of property held for investment or qualified dividend income. The IRS has indicated that the net passive income earned by a publicly traded partnership will be treated as investment income to its unitholders for purposes of the investment interest deduction limitation. In addition, the unitholder’s share of our portfolio income will be treated as investment income.
33
Entity-Level Collections. If we are required or elect under applicable law to pay any federal, state, local or foreign income tax on behalf of any unitholder or any former unitholder, we are authorized to pay those taxes from our funds. That payment, if made, will be treated as a distribution of cash to the unitholder on whose behalf the payment was made. If the payment is made on behalf of a person whose identity cannot be determined, we are authorized to treat the payment as a distribution to all current unitholders. We are authorized to amend the amended and restated partnership agreement in the manner necessary to maintain uniformity of intrinsic tax characteristics of units and to adjust later distributions, so that after giving effect to these distributions, the priority and characterization of distributions otherwise applicable under our partnership agreement is maintained as nearly as is practicable. Payments by us as described above could give rise to an overpayment of tax on behalf of an individual unitholder in which event the unitholder would be required to file a claim in order to obtain a credit or refund.
Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction. In general, if we have a net profit, our items of income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated among our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us. If we have a net loss, that loss will be allocated to our unitholders in accordance with their percentage interests in us.
Specified items of our income, gain, loss and deduction will be allocated to account for the difference between the tax basis and fair market value of our assets at the time of an offering or certain other transactions, referred to in this discussion as “Contributed Property.” The effect of these allocations, referred to as Section 704(c) Allocations, to a unitholder acquiring common units from us in an offering or in connection with a contribution of property will be essentially the same as if the tax bases of our assets were equal to their fair market value at the time of such offering or other transaction. In the event we issue additional common units or engage in certain other transactions in the future “reverse Section 704(c) Allocations,” similar to the Section 704(c) Allocations described above, will be made to all holders of partnership interests immediately prior to such other transactions, including purchasers of common units in this offering, to account for the difference between the “book” basis for purposes of maintaining capital accounts and the fair market value of all property held by us at the time of the future transaction. In addition, items of recapture income will be allocated to the extent possible to the unitholder who was allocated the deduction giving rise to the treatment of that gain as recapture income in order to minimize the recognition of ordinary income by some unitholders. Finally, although we do not expect that our operations will result in the creation of negative capital accounts, if negative capital accounts nevertheless result, items of our income and gain will be allocated in an amount and manner to eliminate the negative balance as quickly as possible. An allocation of items of our income, gain, loss or deduction, other than an allocation required by the Internal Revenue Code to eliminate the difference between a partner’s “book” capital account, credited with the fair market value of Contributed Property, and “tax” capital account, credited with the tax basis of Contributed Property, referred to in this discussion as the “Book-Tax Disparity,” will generally be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction only if the allocation has substantial economic effect. In any other case, a partner’s share of an item will be determined on the basis of his interest in us, which will be determined by taking into account all the facts and circumstances, including:
| • | his relative contributions to us; |
| • | the interests of all the partners in profits and losses; |
| • | the interest of all the partners in cash flow; and |
| • | the rights of all the partners to distributions of capital upon liquidation. |
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is of the opinion that, with the exception of the issues described in “— Section 754 Election” and “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees,” allocations under our amended and restated partnership agreement will be given effect for federal income tax purposes in determining a partner’s share of an item of income, gain, loss or deduction.
Treatment of Short Sales. A unitholder whose units are loaned to a “short seller” to cover a short sale of units may be considered as having disposed of those units. If so, he would no longer be treated for tax purposes as a partner with respect to those units during the period of the loan and may recognize gain or loss from the disposition. As a result, during this period:
| • | any of our income, gain, loss or deduction with respect to those units would not be reportable by the unitholder; |
34
| • | any cash distributions received by the unitholder as to those units would be fully taxable; and |
| • | all of these distributions would appear to be ordinary income. |
Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion regarding the tax treatment of a unitholder where common units are loaned to a short seller to cover a short sale of common units; therefore, unitholders desiring to assure their status as partners and avoid the risk of gain recognition from a loan to a short seller are urged to modify any applicable brokerage account agreements to prohibit their brokers from borrowing and loaning their units. The IRS has announced that it is actively studying issues relating to the tax treatment of short sales of partnership interests. Please also read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
Alternative Minimum Tax. Each unitholder will be required to take into account his distributive share of any items of our income, gain, loss or deduction for purposes of the alternative minimum tax. The current minimum tax rate for noncorporate taxpayers is 26% on the first $175,000 of alternative minimum taxable income in excess of the exemption amount and 28% on any additional alternative minimum taxable income. Prospective unitholders are urged to consult with their tax advisors as to the impact of an investment in units on their liability for the alternative minimum tax.
Tax Rates. Under current law, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income of individuals is 35% and the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to long-term capital gains (generally, capital gains on certain assets held for more than 12 months) of individuals is 15%. However, absent new legislation extending the current rates, beginning January 1, 2011, the highest marginal U.S. federal income tax rate applicable to ordinary income and long-term capital gains of individuals will increase to 39.6% and 20%, respectively. Moreover, these rates are subject to change by new legislation at any time.
Section 754 Election. We have made the election permitted by Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code. That election is irrevocable without the consent of the IRS. The election will generally permit us to adjust a common unit purchaser’s tax basis in our assets (“inside basis”) under Section 743(b) of the Internal Revenue Code to reflect his purchase price of units acquired from another unitholder. For purposes of this discussion, a unitholder’s inside basis in our assets will be considered to have two components: (1) his share of our tax basis in our assets (“common basis”) and (2) his Section 743(b) adjustment to that basis. The Section 743(b) adjustment does not apply to a person who acquires common units directly from us, and it belongs only to the purchaser and not to other unitholders. For a discussion of allocations for unitholders acquiring their units directly from us, please read “—Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” above.
Where the remedial allocation method is adopted (which we have adopted as to all property), the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code require a portion of the Section 743(b) adjustment that is attributable to recovery property subject to depreciation under Section 168 of the Internal Revenue Code whose book basis is in excess of its tax basis to be depreciated over the remaining cost recovery period for the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity. Under Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to property subject to depreciation under Section 167 of the Internal Revenue Code, rather than cost recovery deductions under Section 168, is generally required to be depreciated using either the straightline method or the 150% declining balance method. Under our partnership agreement, our general partner is authorized to take a position to preserve the uniformity of units even if that position is not consistent with these and any other Treasury Regulations. Please read “— Uniformity of Units.”
Although Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine as to the validity of this approach because there is no direct or indirect controlling authority on this issue, we intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as non-amortizable to the
35
extent attributable to property which is not amortizable. This method is consistent with the methods employed by other publicly traded partnerships but is arguably inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets, and Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3). To the extent this Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may take a depreciation or amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation or amortization, whether attributable to common basis or a Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable rate as if they had purchased a direct interest in our assets. This kind of aggregate approach may result in lower annual depreciation or amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders. Please read “— Uniformity of Units.” A unitholder’s tax basis for his common units is reduced by his share of our deductions (whether or not such deductions were claimed on an individual’s income tax return) so that any position we take that understates deductions will overstate the common unitholder’s basis in his common units, which may cause the unitholder to understate gain or overstate loss on any sale of such units. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units— Recognition of Gain or Loss.” The IRS may challenge our position with respect to depreciating or amortizing the Section 743(b) adjustment we take to preserve the uniformity of the units. If such a challenge were sustained, the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions.
A Section 754 election is advantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is higher than the units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. In that case, as a result of the election, the transferee would have, among other items, a greater amount of depreciation deductions and his share of any gain or loss on a sale of our assets would be less. Conversely, a Section 754 election is disadvantageous if the transferee’s tax basis in his units is lower than those units’ share of the aggregate tax basis of our assets immediately prior to the transfer. Thus, the fair market value of the units may be affected either favorably or unfavorably by the election. A basis adjustment is required regardless of whether a Section 754 election is made in the case of a transfer of an interest in us if we have a substantial built-in loss immediately after the transfer, or if we distribute property and have a substantial basis reduction. Generally a built-in loss or a basis reduction is substantial if it exceeds $250,000.
The calculations involved in the Section 754 election are complex and will be made on the basis of assumptions as to the value of our assets and other matters. For example, the allocation of the Section 743(b) adjustment among our assets must be made in accordance with the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS could seek to reallocate some or all of any Section 743(b) adjustment allocated by us to our tangible assets to goodwill instead. Goodwill, as an intangible asset, is generally nonamortizable or amortizable over a longer period of time or under a less accelerated method than our tangible assets. We cannot assure you that the determinations we make will not be successfully challenged by the IRS and that the deductions resulting from them will not be reduced or disallowed altogether. Should the IRS require a different basis adjustment to be made, and should, in our opinion, the expense of compliance exceed the benefit of the election, we may seek permission from the IRS to revoke our Section 754 election. If permission is granted, a subsequent purchaser of units may be allocated more income than he would have been allocated had the election not been revoked.
Tax Treatment of Operations
Accounting Method and Taxable Year. We use the year ending December 31 as our taxable year and the accrual method of accounting for federal income tax purposes. Each unitholder will be required to include in income his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our taxable year ending within or with his taxable year. In addition, a unitholder who has a taxable year ending on a date other than December 31 and who disposes of all of his units following the close of our taxable year but before the close of his taxable year must include his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction in income for his taxable year, with the result that he will be required to include in income for his taxable year his share of more than one year of our income, gain, loss and deduction. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees.”
Tax Basis, Depreciation and Amortization. The tax basis of our assets will be used for purposes of computing depreciation and cost recovery deductions and, ultimately, gain or loss on the disposition of these assets. The federal income tax burden associated with the difference between the fair market value of our assets and their tax basis immediately prior to an offering will be borne by our partners holding interest in us prior to such offering. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction.”
36
To the extent allowable, we may elect to use the depreciation and cost recovery methods that will result in the largest deductions being taken in the early years after assets subject to these allowances are placed in service. We may not be entitled to any amortization deductions with respect to any goodwill properties conveyed to us or held by us at the time of any future offering. Please read “— Uniformity of Units.” Property we subsequently acquire or construct may be depreciated using accelerated methods permitted by the Internal Revenue Code.
If we dispose of depreciable property by sale, foreclosure or otherwise, all or a portion of any gain, determined by reference to the amount of depreciation previously deducted and the nature of the property, may be subject to the recapture rules and taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gain. Similarly, a unitholder who has taken cost recovery or depreciation deductions with respect to property we own will likely be required to recapture some or all of those deductions as ordinary income upon a sale of his interest in us. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Allocation of Income, Gain, Loss and Deduction” and “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
The costs incurred in selling our units (called “syndication expenses”) must be capitalized and cannot be deducted currently, ratably or upon our termination. There are uncertainties regarding the classification of costs as organization expenses, which may be amortized by us, and as syndication expenses, which may not be amortized by us. The underwriting discounts and commissions we incur will be treated as syndication expenses.
Valuation and Tax Basis of Our Properties. The federal income tax consequences of the ownership and disposition of units will depend in part on our estimates of the relative fair market values, and the initial tax bases, of our assets. Although we may from time to time consult with professional appraisers regarding valuation matters, we will make many of the relative fair market value estimates ourselves. These estimates and determinations of basis are subject to challenge and will not be binding on the IRS or the courts. If the estimates of fair market value or basis are later found to be incorrect, the character and amount of items of income, gain, loss or deductions previously reported by unitholders might change, and unitholders might be required to adjust their tax liability for prior years and incur interest and penalties with respect to those adjustments.
Disposition of Common Units
Recognition of Gain or Loss. Gain or loss will be recognized on a sale of units equal to the difference between the amount realized and the unitholder’s tax basis for the units sold. A unitholder’s amount realized will be measured by the sum of the cash or the fair market value of other property received by him plus his share of our nonrecourse liabilities. Because the amount realized includes a unitholder’s share of our nonrecourse liabilities, the gain recognized on the sale of units could result in a tax liability in excess of any cash received from the sale.
Prior distributions from us in excess of cumulative net taxable income for a common unit that decreased a unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit will, in effect, become taxable income if the common unit is sold at a price greater than the unitholder’s tax basis in that common unit, even if the price received is less than his original cost.
Except as noted below, gain or loss recognized by a unitholder, other than a “dealer” in units, on the sale or exchange of a unit will generally be taxable as capital gain or loss. Capital gain recognized by an individual on the sale of units held for more than twelve months will generally be taxed at a maximum U.S. federal income tax rate of 15% through December 31, 2010 and 20% thereafter (absent new legislation extending or adjusting the current rate). However, a portion of this gain or loss, which will likely be substantial, will be separately computed and taxed as ordinary income or loss under Section 751 of the Internal Revenue Code to the extent attributable to assets giving rise to depreciation recapture or other “unrealized receivables” or to “inventory items” we own. The term “unrealized receivables” includes potential recapture items, including depreciation recapture. Ordinary income attributable to unrealized receivables, inventory items and depreciation recapture may exceed net taxable gain realized upon the sale of a unit and may be recognized even if there is a net taxable loss realized on the sale of a unit. Thus, a unitholder may recognize both ordinary income and a capital loss upon a sale of units. Net capital losses may offset capital gains and no more than $3,000 of ordinary income, in the case of individuals, and may only be used to offset capital gains in the case of corporations.
The IRS has ruled that a partner who acquires interests in a partnership in separate transactions must combine those interests and maintain a single adjusted tax basis for all those interests. Upon a sale or other disposition of less
37
than all of those interests, a portion of that tax basis must be allocated to the interests sold using an “equitable apportionment” method, which generally means that the tax basis allocated to the interest sold equals an amount that bears the same relation to the partner’s tax basis in his entire interest in the partnership as the value of the interest sold bears to the value of the partner’s entire interest in the partnership. Treasury Regulations under Section 1223 of the Internal Revenue Code allow a selling unitholder who can identify common units transferred with an ascertainable holding period to elect to use the actual holding period of the common units transferred. Thus, according to the ruling discussed above, a common unitholder will be unable to select high or low basis common units to sell as would be the case with corporate stock, but, according to the Treasury Regulations, he may designate specific common units sold for purposes of determining the holding period of units transferred. A unitholder electing to use the actual holding period of common units transferred must consistently use that identification method for all subsequent sales or exchanges of common units. A unitholder considering the purchase of additional units or a sale of common units purchased in separate transactions is urged to consult his tax advisor as to the possible consequences of this ruling and application of the Treasury Regulations.
Specific provisions of the Internal Revenue Code affect the taxation of some financial products and securities, including partnership interests, by treating a taxpayer as having sold an “appreciated” partnership interest, one in which gain would be recognized if it were sold, assigned or terminated at its fair market value, if the taxpayer or related persons enter(s) into:
| • | a short sale; |
| • | an offsetting notional principal contract; or |
| • | a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest or substantially identical property. |
Moreover, if a taxpayer has previously entered into a short sale, an offsetting notional principal contract or a futures or forward contract with respect to the partnership interest, the taxpayer will be treated as having sold that position if the taxpayer or a related person then acquires the partnership interest or substantially identical property. The Secretary of the Treasury is also authorized to issue regulations that treat a taxpayer that enters into transactions or positions that have substantially the same effect as the preceding transactions as having constructively sold the financial position.
Allocations Between Transferors and Transferees. In general, our taxable income and losses will be determined annually, will be prorated on a monthly basis and will be subsequently apportioned among the unitholders in proportion to the number of units owned by each of them as of the opening of the applicable exchange on the first business day of the month, which we refer to in this prospectus as the “Allocation Date.” However, gain or loss realized on a sale or other disposition of our assets other than in the ordinary course of business will be allocated among the unitholders on the Allocation Date in the month in which that gain or loss is recognized. As a result, a unitholder transferring units may be allocated income, gain, loss and deduction realized after the date of transfer.
Although simplifying conventions are contemplated by the Internal Revenue Code and most publicly traded partnerships use similar simplifying conventions, the use of this method may not be permitted under existing Treasury Regulations. Recently, however, the Department of the Treasury and the IRS issued proposed Treasury Regulations that provide a safe harbor pursuant to which a publicly traded partnership may use a similar monthly simplifying convention to allocate tax items among transferor and transferee unitholders, although such tax items must be prorated on a daily basis. Existing publicly traded partnerships are entitled to rely on these proposed Treasury Regulations; however, they are not binding on the IRS and are subject to change until final Treasury Regulations are issued. Accordingly, Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. is unable to opine on the validity of this method of allocating income and deductions between transferor and transferee unitholders. If this method is not allowed under the Treasury Regulations, or only applies to transfers of less than all of the unitholder’s interest, our taxable income or losses might be reallocated among the unitholders. We are authorized to revise our method of allocation between transferor and transferee unitholders, as well as unitholders whose interests vary during a taxable year, to conform to a method permitted under future Treasury Regulations. A unitholder who owns units at any time during a quarter and who disposes of them prior to the record date set for a cash distribution for that quarter will be allocated items of our income, gain, loss and deductions attributable to that quarter but will not be entitled to receive that cash distribution.
38
Notification Requirements. A unitholder who sells any of his units is generally required to notify us in writing of that sale within 30 days after the sale (or, if earlier, January 15 of the year following the sale). A purchaser of units who purchases units from another unitholder is also generally required to notify us in writing of that purchase within 30 days after the purchase. Upon receiving such notifications, we are required to notify the IRS of that transaction and to furnish specified information to the transferor and transferee. Failure to notify us of a purchase may, in some cases, lead to the imposition of penalties. However, these reporting requirements do not apply to a sale by an individual who is a citizen of the United States and who effects the sale or exchange through a broker who will satisfy such requirements.
Constructive Termination. We will be considered to have been terminated for tax purposes if there are sales or exchanges which, in the aggregate, constitute 50% or more of the total interests in our capital and profits within a twelve-month period. For purposes of measuring whether the 50% threshold is reached, multiple sales of the same interest are counted only once. A constructive termination results in the closing of our taxable year for all unitholders. In the case of a unitholder reporting on a taxable year other than a fiscal year ending December 31, the closing of our taxable year may result in more than twelve months of our taxable income or loss being includable in his taxable income for the year of termination. A constructive termination occurring on a date other than December 31 will result in us filing two tax returns (and unitholders receiving two Schedules K-1) for one fiscal year and the cost of the preparation of these returns will be borne by all common unitholders. We would be required to make new tax elections after a termination, including a new election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code, and a termination would result in a deferral of our deductions for depreciation. A termination could also result in penalties if we were unable to determine that the termination had occurred. Moreover, a termination might either accelerate the application of, or subject us to, any tax legislation enacted before the termination. The IRS has announced recently that it plans to issue guidance regarding the treatment of constructive terminations of publicly traded partnerships such as us. Any such guidance may change the application of the rules discussed above and may affect the tax treatment of a unitholder.
Uniformity of Units
Because we cannot match transferors and transferees of units, we must maintain uniformity of the economic and tax characteristics of the units to a purchaser of these units. In the absence of uniformity, we may be unable to completely comply with a number of federal income tax requirements, both statutory and regulatory. A lack of uniformity can result from a literal application of Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6) and Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3). Any non-uniformity could have a negative impact on the value of the units. Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership — Section 754 Election.”
We intend to depreciate the portion of a Section 743(b) adjustment attributable to unrealized appreciation in the value of Contributed Property, to the extent of any unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, using a rate of depreciation or amortization derived from the depreciation or amortization method and useful life applied to the property’s unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, or treat that portion as nonamortizable, to the extent attributable to property the common basis of which is not amortizable, consistent with the Treasury Regulations under Section 743 of the Internal Revenue Code, even though that position may be inconsistent with Treasury Regulation Section 1.167(c)-1(a)(6), which is not expected to directly apply to a material portion of our assets, and Treasury Regulation Section 1.197-2(g)(3). Please read “— Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Section 754 Election.” To the extent that the Section 743(b) adjustment is attributable to appreciation in value in excess of the unamortized Book-Tax Disparity, we will apply the rules described in the Treasury Regulations and legislative history. If we determine that this position cannot reasonably be taken, we may adopt a depreciation and amortization position under which all purchasers acquiring units in the same month would receive depreciation and amortization deductions, whether attributable to a common basis or Section 743(b) adjustment, based upon the same applicable methods and lives as if they had purchased a direct interest in our property. If this position is adopted, it may result in lower annual depreciation and amortization deductions than would otherwise be allowable to some unitholders and risk the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions not taken in the year that these deductions are otherwise allowable. This position will not be adopted if we determine that the loss of depreciation and amortization deductions will have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. If we choose not to utilize this aggregate method, we may use any other reasonable depreciation and amortization method to preserve the uniformity of the intrinsic tax characteristics of any units that would not have a material adverse effect on the unitholders. The IRS may challenge any method of depreciating the Section 743(b) adjustment described in this paragraph. If this challenge
39
were sustained, the uniformity of units might be affected, and the gain from the sale of units might be increased without the benefit of additional deductions. Please read “— Disposition of Common Units — Recognition of Gain or Loss.”
Tax-Exempt Organizations and Other Investors
Ownership of units by employee benefit plans, other tax-exempt organizations, non-resident aliens, foreign corporations and other foreign persons raises issues unique to those investors and, as described below, may have substantially adverse tax consequences to them. If you are a tax-exempt entity or a non-U.S. person, you should consult your tax advisor before investing in our common units.
Employee benefit plans and most other organizations exempt from federal income tax, including individual retirement accounts and other retirement plans, are subject to federal income tax on unrelated business taxable income. Virtually all of our income allocated to a unitholder that is a tax-exempt organization will be unrelated business taxable income and will be taxable to them.
Non-resident aliens and foreign corporations, trusts or estates that own units will be considered to be engaged in business in the United States because of the ownership of units. As a consequence, they will be required to file federal tax returns to report their share of our income, gain, loss or deduction and pay federal income tax at regular rates on their share of our net income or gain. Moreover, under rules applicable to publicly traded partnerships, we will withhold at the highest applicable effective tax rate from cash distributions made quarterly to foreign unitholders. Each foreign unitholder must obtain a taxpayer identification number from the IRS and submit that number to our transfer agent on a Form W-8BEN or applicable substitute form in order to obtain credit for these withholding taxes. A change in applicable law may require us to change these procedures.
In addition, because a foreign corporation that owns units will be treated as engaged in a United States trade or business, that corporation may be subject to the United States branch profits tax at a rate of 30%, in addition to regular federal income tax, on its share of our income and gain, as adjusted for changes in the foreign corporation’s “U.S. net equity,” which is effectively connected with the conduct of a United States trade or business. That tax may be reduced or eliminated by an income tax treaty between the United States and the country in which the foreign corporate unitholder is a “qualified resident.” In addition, this type of unitholder is subject to special information reporting requirements under Section 6038C of the Internal Revenue Code.
A foreign unitholder who sells or otherwise disposes of a common unit will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on gain realized from the sale or disposition of that unit to the extent the gain is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business of the foreign unitholder. Under a ruling published by the IRS, interpreting the scope of “effectively connected income,” a foreign unitholder would be considered to be engaged in a trade or business in the U.S. by virtue of the U.S. activities of the partnership, and part or all of that unitholder’s gain would be effectively connected with that unitholder’s indirect U.S. trade or business. Moreover, under the Foreign Investment in Real Property Tax Act, a foreign common unitholder generally will be subject to U.S. federal income tax upon the sale or disposition of a common unit if (i) he owned (directly or constructively applying certain attribution rules) more than 5% of our common units at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of such disposition and (ii) 50% or more of the fair market value of all of our assets consisted of U.S. real property interests at any time during the shorter of the period during which such unitholder held the common units or the 5-year period ending on the date of disposition. Currently, more than 50% of our assets consist of U.S. real property interests and we do not expect that to change in the foreseeable future. Therefore, foreign unitholders may be subject to federal income tax on gain from the sale or disposition of their units.
Administrative Matters
Information Returns and Audit Procedures. We intend to furnish to each unitholder, within 90 days after the close of each calendar year, specific tax information, including a Schedule K-1, which describes his share of our income, gain, loss and deduction for our preceding taxable year. In preparing this information, which will not be reviewed by counsel, we will take various accounting and reporting positions, some of which have been mentioned earlier, to determine each unitholder’s share of income, gain, loss and deduction. We cannot assure you that those positions will yield a result that conforms to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, Treasury Regulations or administrative interpretations of the IRS. Neither we nor Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. can assure prospective unitholders
40
that the IRS will not successfully contend in court that those positions are impermissible. Any challenge by the IRS could negatively affect the value of the units. The IRS may audit our federal income tax information returns. Adjustments resulting from an IRS audit may require each unitholder to adjust a prior year’s tax liability, and possibly may result in an audit of his return. Any audit of a unitholder’s return could result in adjustments not related to our returns as well as those related to our returns.
Partnerships generally are treated as separate entities for purposes of federal tax audits, judicial review of administrative adjustments by the IRS and tax settlement proceedings. The tax treatment of partnership items of income, gain, loss and deduction are determined in a partnership proceeding rather than in separate proceedings with the partners. The Internal Revenue Code requires that one partner be designated as the “Tax Matters Partner” for these purposes. The amended and restated partnership agreement names our general partner as our Tax Matters Partner.
The Tax Matters Partner has made and will make some elections on our behalf and on behalf of unitholders. In addition, the Tax Matters Partner can extend the statute of limitations for assessment of tax deficiencies against unitholders for items in our returns. The Tax Matters Partner may bind a unitholder with less than a 1% profits interest in us to a settlement with the IRS unless that unitholder elects, by filing a statement with the IRS, not to give that authority to the Tax Matters Partner. The Tax Matters Partner may seek judicial review, by which all the unitholders are bound, of a final partnership administrative adjustment and, if the Tax Matters Partner fails to seek judicial review, judicial review may be sought by any unitholder having at least a 1% interest in profits or by any group of unitholders having in the aggregate at least a 5% interest in profits. However, only one action for judicial review will go forward, and each unitholder with an interest in the outcome may participate.
A unitholder must file a statement with the IRS identifying the treatment of any item on his federal income tax return that is not consistent with the treatment of the item on our return. Intentional or negligent disregard of this consistency requirement may subject a unitholder to substantial penalties.
Nominee Reporting. Persons who hold an interest in us as a nominee for another person are required to furnish to us:
(a) the name, address and taxpayer identification number of the beneficial owner and the nominee;
(b) whether the beneficial owner is:
1. a person that is not a United States person;
2. a foreign government, an international organization or any wholly owned agency or instrumentality of either of the foregoing; or
3. a tax-exempt entity;
(c) the amount and description of units held, acquired or transferred for the beneficial owner; and
(d) specific information including the dates of acquisitions and transfers, means of acquisitions and transfers, and acquisition cost for purchases, as well as the amount of net proceeds from sales. Brokers and financial institutions are required to furnish additional information, including whether they are United States persons and specific information on units they acquire, hold or transfer for their own account. A penalty of $50 per failure, up to a maximum of $100,000 per calendar year, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code for failure to report that information to us. The nominee is required to supply the beneficial owner of the units with the information furnished to us.
Accuracy-Related Penalties. An additional tax equal to 20% of the amount of any portion of an underpayment of tax that is attributable to one or more specified causes, including negligence or disregard of rules or regulations, substantial understatements of income tax and substantial valuation misstatements, is imposed by the Internal Revenue Code. No penalty will be imposed, however, for any portion of an underpayment if it is shown that there was a reasonable cause for that portion and that the taxpayer acted in good faith regarding that portion.
41
For individuals, a substantial understatement of income tax in any taxable year exists if the amount of the understatement exceeds the greater of 10% of the tax required to be shown on the return for the taxable year or $5,000. The amount of any understatement subject to penalty generally is reduced if any portion is attributable to a position adopted on the return:
(1) for which there is, or was, “substantial authority”; or
(2) as to which there is a reasonable basis and the pertinent facts of that position are disclosed on the return.
If any item of income, gain, loss or deduction included in the distributive shares of unitholders might result in that kind of an “understatement” of income for which no “substantial authority” exists, we must disclose the pertinent facts on our return. In addition, we will make a reasonable effort to furnish sufficient information for unitholders to make adequate disclosure on their returns and to take other actions as may be appropriate to permit unitholders to avoid liability for this penalty. More stringent rules apply to “tax shelters,” which we do not believe includes us, or any of our investments, plans or arrangements.
A substantial valuation misstatement exists if (a) the value of any property, or the tax basis of any property, claimed on a tax return is 150% or more of the amount determined to be the correct amount of the valuation or tax basis, (b) the price for any property or services (or for the use of property) claimed on any such return with respect to any transaction between persons described in Internal Revenue Code Section 482 is 200% or more (or 50% or less) of the amount determined under Section 482 to be the correct amount of such price, or (c) the net Internal Revenue Code Section 482 transfer price adjustment for the taxable year exceeds the lesser of $5 million or 10% of the taxpayer’s gross receipts. No penalty is imposed unless the portion of the underpayment attributable to a substantial valuation misstatement exceeds $5,000 ($10,000 for a corporation other than an S Corporation or a personal holding company). The penalty is increased to 40% in the event of a gross valuation misstatement. We do not anticipate making any valuation misstatements.
Reportable Transactions. If we were to engage in a “reportable transaction,” we (and possibly you and others) would be required to make a detailed disclosure of the transaction to the IRS. A transaction may be a reportable transaction based upon any of several factors, including the fact that it is a type of tax avoidance transaction publicly identified by the IRS as a “listed transaction” or that it produces certain kinds of losses for partnerships, individuals, S corporations, and trusts in excess of $2 million in any single year, or $4 million in any combination of 6 successive tax years. Our participation in a reportable transaction could increase the likelihood that our federal income tax information return (and possibly your tax return) would be audited by the IRS. Please read “— Information Returns and Audit Procedures.”
Moreover, if we were to participate in a reportable transaction with a significant purpose to avoid or evade tax, or in any listed transaction, you may be subject to the following provisions of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004:
| • | accuracy-related penalties with a broader scope, significantly narrower exceptions, and potentially greater amounts than described above at “— Accuracy-Related Penalties,” |
| • | for those persons otherwise entitled to deduct interest on federal tax deficiencies, nondeductibility of interest on any resulting tax liability and |
| • | in the case of a listed transaction, an extended statute of limitations. |
We do not expect to engage in any “reportable transactions.”
State, Local and Other Tax Considerations
In addition to federal income taxes, you will be subject to other taxes, including state and local income taxes, unincorporated business taxes, and estate, inheritance or intangible taxes that may be imposed by the various jurisdictions in which we do business or own property or in which you are a resident. We currently do business or own property in 22 states, most of which impose income taxes. We may also own property or do business in other states in the future. Although an analysis of those various taxes is not presented here, each prospective unitholder is
42
urged to consider their potential impact on his investment in us. You may not be required to file a return and pay taxes in some states because your income from that state falls below the filing and payment requirement. You will be required, however, to file state income tax returns and to pay state income taxes in many of the states in which we do business or own property, and you may be subject to penalties for failure to comply with those requirements. In some states, tax losses may not produce a tax benefit in the year incurred and also may not be available to offset income in subsequent taxable years. Some of the states may require us, or we may elect, to withhold a percentage of income from amounts to be distributed to a unitholder who is not a resident of the state. Withholding, the amount of which may be greater or less than a particular unitholder’s income tax liability to the state, generally does not relieve a nonresident unitholder from the obligation to file an income tax return. Amounts withheld may be treated as if distributed to unitholders for purposes of determining the amounts distributed by us. Please read “—Tax Consequences of Unit Ownership—Entity-Level Collections.” Based on current law and our estimate of our future operations, our general partner anticipates that any amounts required to be withheld will not be material.
It is the responsibility of each unitholder to investigate the legal and tax consequences, under the laws of pertinent states and localities, of his investment in us. Accordingly, we strongly recommend that each prospective unitholder consult, and depend upon, his own tax counsel or other advisor with regard to those matters. Further, it is the responsibility of each unitholder to file all state and local, as well as United States federal income tax returns, that may be required of him. Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. has not rendered an opinion on the state or local tax consequences of an investment in us.
Tax Consequences of Ownership of Debt Securities
A description of the material federal income tax consequences of the acquisition, ownership and disposition of debt securities will be set forth in the prospectus supplement relating to the offering of debt securities.
43
INVESTMENT BY U.S. EMPLOYEE BENEFIT PLAN
An investment in our common units or debt securities by an employee benefit plan is subject to certain additional considerations because the investments of such plans are subject to the fiduciary responsibility and prohibited transaction provisions of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ ERISA”), and restrictions imposed by Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code and provisions under any federal, state, local, non-U.S. or other laws or regulations that are similar to such provisions of the Internal Revenue Code or ERISA, which we refer to collectively as Similar Laws. As used herein, the term “employee benefit plan” includes, but is not limited to, qualified pension, profit-sharing and stock bonus plans, Keogh plans, simplified employee pension plans and tax deferred annuities or individual retirement accounts or other arrangements established or maintained by an employer or employee organization, and entities whose underlying assets are considered to include “plan assets” of such plans, accounts and arrangements.
General Fiduciary Matters
ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code impose certain duties on persons who are fiduciaries of an employee benefit plan that is subject to Title I of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code, which we refer to as an ERISA Plan, and prohibit certain transactions involving the assets of an ERISA Plan and its fiduciaries or other interested parties. Under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code, any person who exercises any discretionary authority or control over the administration of such an ERISA Plan or the management or disposition of the assets of such an ERISA Plan, or who renders investment advice for a fee or other compensation to such an ERISA Plan, is generally considered to be a fiduciary of the ERISA Plan. In considering an investment in our units or debt securities, among other things, consideration should be given to (a) whether such investment is prudent under Section 404(a)(1)(B) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws; (b) whether in making such investment, such plan will satisfy the diversification requirement of Section 404(a)(1)(C) of ERISA and any other applicable Similar Laws; (c) whether making such an investment will comply with the delegation of control and prohibited transaction provisions of ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and any other applicable Similar Laws and (d) whether such investment will result in recognition of unrelated business taxable income by such plan and, if so, the potential after-tax investment return. Please read “Material Tax Consequences.” The person with investment discretion with respect to the assets of an employee benefit plan, which we refer to as a fiduciary, should determine whether an investment in our units or debt securities is authorized by the appropriate governing instrument and is a proper investment for such plan.
Prohibited Transaction Issues
Section 406 of ERISA and Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code (which also applies to IRAs that are not considered part of an employee benefit plan) prohibit an employee benefit plan from engaging in certain transactions involving “plan assets” with parties that are “parties in interest” under ERISA or “disqualified persons” under the Internal Revenue Code with respect to the plan, unless an exemption is available. A party in interest or disqualified person who engages in a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to excise taxes and other penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code. In addition, the fiduciary of the ERISA Plan that engaged in such a non-exempt prohibited transaction may be subject to penalties and liabilities under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code.
The acquisition and/or holding of the debt securities by an ERISA Plan with respect to which we or the initial purchasers are considered a party in interest or a disqualified person, may constitute or result in a direct or indirect prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA and/or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code, unless the debt securities are acquired and held in accordance with an applicable statutory, class or individual prohibited transaction exemption. In this regard, the U.S. Department of Labor has issued prohibited transaction class exemptions, or “PTCEs,” that may apply to the acquisition, holding and, if applicable, conversion of the debt securities. These class exemptions include, without limitation, PTCE 84-14 respecting transactions determined by independent qualified professional asset managers, PTCE 90-1 respecting insurance company pooled separate accounts, PTCE 91-38 respecting bank collective investment funds, PTCE 95-60 respecting life insurance company general accounts and PTCE 96-23 respecting transactions determined by in-house asset managers. There can be no assurance that all of the conditions of any such exemptions will be satisfied.
44
Because of the foregoing, the debt securities should not be purchased or held (or converted to equity securities, in the case of any convertible debt) by any person investing “plan assets” of any employee benefit plan, unless such purchase and holding (or conversion, if any) will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under ERISA and the Internal Revenue Code or similar violation of any applicable Similar Laws.
Representation
Accordingly, by acceptance of the debt securities, each purchaser and subsequent transferee of the debt securities will be deemed to have represented and warranted that either (i) no portion of the assets used by such purchaser or transferee to acquire and hold the notes constitutes assets of any employee benefit plan or (ii) the purchase and holding (and any conversion, if applicable) of the notes by such purchaser or transferee will not constitute a non-exempt prohibited transaction under Section 406 of ERISA or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code or similar violation under any applicable Similar Laws.
Plan Asset Issues
In addition to considering whether the purchase of our common units or debt securities is a prohibited transaction, a fiduciary of an employee benefit plan should consider whether such plan will, by investing in our units or debt securities, be deemed to own an undivided interest in our assets, with the result that our general partner also would be a fiduciary of such plan and our operations would be subject to the regulatory restrictions of ERISA, including its prohibited transaction rules, as well as the prohibited transaction rules of the Internal Revenue Code and any other applicable Similar Laws.
The Department of Labor regulations provide guidance with respect to whether the assets of an entity in which employee benefit plans acquire equity interests would be deemed “plan assets” under certain circumstances. Pursuant to these regulations, an entity’s assets would not be considered to be “plan assets” if, among other things, (a) the equity interest acquired by employee benefit plans are publicly offered securities — i.e., the equity interests are widely held by 100 or more investors independent of the issuer and each other, freely transferable and registered pursuant to certain provisions of the federal securities laws, (b) the entity is an “operating company” — i.e., it is primarily engaged in the production or sale of a product or service other than the investment of capital either directly or through a majority owned subsidiary or subsidiaries, or (c) there is no significant investment by benefit plan investors, which is defined to mean that less than 25% of the value of each class of equity interest (disregarding certain interests held by our general partner, its affiliates and certain other persons) is held by the employee benefit plans that are subject to part 4 of Title I of ERISA (which excludes governmental plans and non-electing church plans) and/or Section 4975 of the Internal Revenue Code, IRAs and certain other employee benefit plans not subject to ERISA (such as electing church plans). With respect to an investment in our units, our assets should not be considered “plan assets” under these regulations because it is expected that the investment will satisfy the requirements in (a) and (b) above and may also satisfy the requirements in (c) above (although we do not monitor the level of benefit plan investors as required for compliance with (c)). With respect to an investment in our debt securities, our assets should not be considered “plan assets” under these regulations because such securities are not equity securities or, even if they are issued with a feature that allows their conversion to equity securities, the securities into which they will be convertible will satisfy the requirements in (a) and (b) above.
The foregoing discussion of issues arising for employee benefit plan investments under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and Similar Laws should not be construed as legal advice. Plan fiduciaries contemplating a purchase of our limited partnership units or debt securities should consult with their own counsel regarding the consequences under ERISA, the Internal Revenue Code and other Similar Laws in light of the serious penalties imposed on persons who engage in prohibited transactions or other violations.
45
In connection with particular offerings of the securities in the future, and if stated in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of those securities may be passed upon for us by Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. and for any underwriters or agents by counsel named in the applicable prospectus supplement.
The consolidated financial statements of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. included in Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.’s Current Report on Form 8-K dated November 3, 2009, and management’s assessment of the effectiveness of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.’s internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008 included in its Annual Report (Form 10-K) for the year ended December 31, 2008, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements and Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. management’s assessment of the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2008 are incorporated herein by reference in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION
In addition, we file annual, quarterly and current reports and other information electronically with the SEC. You may read and copy any document we file with the SEC at the SEC’s public reference room at Room 1580, 100 F. Street, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20549. Please call the SEC at 1-800-732-0330 for information on the public reference room. You can also find our filings on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov and on our website at http://www.magellanlp.com. Information contained on our website is not part of this prospectus, unless specifically so designated and filed with the SEC. We have filed with the SEC a Registration Statement on Form S-3 relating to the securities offered by this prospectus. The Registration Statement, including the attached exhibits, contains additional relevant information about us. This prospectus is a part of the Registration Statement and does not contain all the information in the Registration Statement. The rules and regulations of the SEC allow us to omit some information included in the Registration Statement from this prospectus. Whenever a reference is made in this prospectus to a contract or other document of Magellan Midstream Partners, the reference is only a summary and you should refer to the exhibits that are a part of the Registration Statement for a copy of the contract or other document. You may review a copy of the Registration Statement at the SEC’s public reference room in Washington, D.C., as well as through the SEC’s website.
INCORPORATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION BY REFERENCE
The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” the information we have filed with the SEC, which means that we can disclose important information to you without actually including the specific information in this prospectus by referring you to those documents filed separately with the SEC. These other documents contain important information about us, our financial condition and results of operations. The information incorporated by reference is an important part of this prospectus and later information that we file with the SEC will automatically update and supersede information in this prospectus and other information previously filed with the SEC. Therefore, before you decide to invest in any securities under this prospectus, you should always check for reports we may have filed with the SEC after the date of this prospectus. We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the documents listed
46
below and any future filings we make with the SEC under Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14, or 15(d) of the Exchange Act until the applicable offering under this prospectus and any prospectus supplement is completed or terminated, other than information furnished to the SEC under Item 2.02 or 7.01 of Form 8-K and which is not deemed filed under the Exchange Act and is not incorporated in this prospectus:
| • | Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed on February 22, 2009; |
| • | Definitive Proxy Statement on Schedule 14A filed on February 26, 2009; |
| • | Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended March 31, 2009 filed on May 6, 2009, as amended by the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q/A filed on July 10, 2009, the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2009 filed on August 6, 2009, and the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2009 filed on November 3, 2009; |
| • | Current Reports on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on January 2, 2009, March 4, 2009, May 21, 2009, May 28, 2009, June 22, 2009, June 26, 2009, July 29, 2009, August 6, 2009, August 10, 2009, September 30, 2009 and November 3, 2009; |
| • | The description of our common units and our amended and restated partnership agreement contained in Amendment No. 1 on Form 8-A/A filed on November 5, 2009, amending our Registration Statement on Form 8-A initially filed February 2, 2001, and any subsequent amendment thereto filed for the purpose of updating such description; and |
| • | The description of our unit purchase rights and Amendment No. 1 thereto contained in our Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on December 5, 2008 and our Current Report on Form 8-K filed on March 4, 2009, respectively, and including any subsequent amendment thereto filed for the purpose of updating such description. |
We will provide without charge to each person, including any beneficial owner, to whom this prospectus is delivered, upon written or oral request, a copy of any document incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to any such document not specifically described above. Requests for such documents should be directed to:
| Investor Relations Department Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. One Williams Center Tulsa, Oklahoma 74172 Local phone: (918) 574-7000 Toll-free phone: (877) 934-6571 |
PART II
INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS
| Item 14. | Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution |
The following table sets forth all expenses payable by us in connection with the issuance and distribution of the securities. All the amounts shown are estimates.
| SEC registration fee |
$ | * | ||
| Fees and expenses of accountants |
* | * | ||
| Fees and expenses of legal counsel |
* | * | ||
| Printing expenses |
* | * | ||
| Listing fees |
* | * | ||
| Miscellaneous |
* | * | ||
| Total |
$ | * | * | |
| * | Under SEC Rule 456(b) and 457(r), the SEC registration fee will be paid at the time of any particular offering of securities under the Registration Statement, and is therefore not currently determinable. |
| ** | These fees are calculated based on the number of issuances and amount of securities offered and accordingly cannot be estimated at this time. |
| Item 15. | Indemnification of Directors and Officers. |
Section 17-108 of the Delaware Revised Limited Partnership Act empowers a Delaware limited partnership to indemnify and hold harmless any partner or other person from and against all claims and demands whatsoever. Our amended and restated partnership agreement provides that we will, to the fullest extent permitted by law, indemnify and advance expenses to our general partner, any Departing Partner (as defined therein), any person who is or was an affiliate of our general partner, or any Departing Partner, any person who is or was a member, partner, officer, director, employee, agent or trustee of our general partner or any Departing Partner or any affiliate of our general partner, or any Departing Partner, or any person who is or was serving at the request of our general partner, or any affiliate of our general partner or any Departing Partner or any affiliate of any Departing Partner as an officer, director, employee, member, partner, agent or trustee of another person (“Indemnities”) from and against any and all losses, claims, damages, liabilities (joint or several), expenses (including legal fees and expenses), judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts arising from any and all claims, demands, actions, suits or proceedings, civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, in which any Indemnitee may be involved, or is threatened to be involved, as a party or otherwise, by reason of its status as our general partner, Departing Partner or an affiliate of either, an officer, director, employee, partner, agent or trustee of our general partner, any Departing Partner or affiliate of either or a person serving at the request of the partnership in another entity in a similar capacity, provided that in each case the Indemnitee acted in good faith and in a manner which such Indemnitee reasonably believed to be in or not opposed to the best interests of the partnership. In addition, each Indemnitee would automatically be entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with the foregoing indemnification. Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to any Indemnitee pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we acknowledge that we been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Any indemnification under these provisions will be provided only from the assets of the partnership. Unless it otherwise agrees in its sole discretion, our general partner and its affiliates will not be personally liable for, or have any obligation to contribute or loan funds or assets to us to enable us to effectuate indemnification. We may purchase insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by persons in connection with our activities, regardless of whether we would have the power to indemnify the person against liabilities under our amended and restated partnership agreement.
We are authorized to purchase (or to reimburse our general partner for the costs of) insurance against liabilities asserted against and expenses incurred by the persons described in the paragraph above in connection with their activities, whether or not they would have the power to indemnify such person against such liabilities under the provisions described in the paragraph above. Our general partner has purchased insurance, the cost of which is
II-1
reimbursed by us subject to certain limitations, covering its officers and directors against liabilities asserted and expenses incurred in connection with their activities as officers and directors of our general partner or any of its direct or indirect subsidiaries.
Any underwriting agreement entered into in connection with the sale of the securities offered pursuant to this Registration Statement will provide for indemnification of officers and directors of our general partner, including liabilities under the Securities Act.
| Item 16. | Exhibits. |
The following documents are filed as exhibits to this Registration Statement:
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
| 1.1* | — | Form of Underwriting Agreement. | ||
| 2.1+ | — | Agreement Relating to Simplification of Capital Structure Agreement, dated as of March 3, 2009, by and among Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., Magellan GP, LLC, Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P. and Magellan Midstream Holdings GP, LLC (filed as Exhibit 2.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 4, 2009). | ||
| 2.2+ | — | Amendment No. 1, dated as of August 6, 2009, to the Agreement Relating to Simplification of Capital Structure, dated as of March 3, 2009, by and among Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., Magellan GP, LLC, Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P. and Magellan Midstream Holdings GP, LLC. (filed as Exhibit 2.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed August 10, 2009). | ||
| 3.1+ | — | Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. dated as of September 28, 2009 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 30, 2009). | ||
| 3.2+ | — | Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Magellan GP, LLC dated as of September 28, 2009 (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 30, 2009). | ||
| 4.1** | — | Form of Senior Indenture. | ||
| 4.2** | — | Form of Subordinated Indenture. | ||
| 4.3* | — | Form of Senior Debt Securities. | ||
| 4.4* | — | Form of Subordinated Debt Securities | ||
| 4.5+ | — | Unit Purchase Rights Agreement, dated as of December 4, 2008, between Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent, which includes the
Form of Rights Certificates as Exhibit A and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Units as Exhibit B (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on December 5, 2008). | ||
| 4.6+ | — | Amendment No. 1, dated as of March 3, 2009, to Unit Purchase Rights Agreement, dated as of December 4, 2008, between Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 4, 2009). | ||
| 5.1** | — | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered. | ||
| 8.1** | — | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. relating to tax matters. | ||
| 10.1+ | — | Contribution and Assumption Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2009, by and among Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P., Magellan Midstream Holdings GP, LLC, Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Magellan GP, LLC (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 30, 2009). | ||
| 10.2+ | — | IDR Entity Assumption Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2009, by and among Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., Magellan IDR LP, LLC and Magellan IDR, L.P. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 30, 2009). | ||
| 12.1** | — | Statement of Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges. | ||
| 23.1** | — | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. | ||
| 23.2** | — | Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 5.1). | ||
| 23.3** | — | Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 8.1). | ||
| 24.1** | — | Powers of Attorney (contained on signature pages). | ||
| 25.1*** | — | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification respecting the Senior Indenture. | ||
| 25.2*** | — | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification respecting the Subordinated Indenture. | ||
II-2
| * | To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a current report on Form 8-K of the registrant. |
| ** | Filed herewith. |
| *** | To be filed under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. |
| + | Such exhibit has heretofore been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the filing indicated and is incorporated herein by reference. |
II-3
| Item 17. | Undertakings. |
The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes:
(1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:
(i) To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act;
(ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the Registration Statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective Registration Statement;
(iii) To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the Registration Statement or any material change to such information in the Registration Statement;
provided, however, that paragraphs (1)(i), (1)(ii) and (1)(iii) do not apply if information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by registrants pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the Registration Statement.
(2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(3) To remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering.
(4) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:
(i) Each prospectus filed by the registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the Registration Statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the Registration Statement; and
(ii) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a Registration Statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the Registration Statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the Registration Statement relating to the securities in the Registration Statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a Registration Statement or prospectus that is part of the Registration Statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the Registration Statement or prospectus that is part of the Registration Statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the Registration Statement or prospectus that was part of the Registration Statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.
II-4
(5) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities, the registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the registrant pursuant to this Registration Statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:
(i) Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;
(ii) Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the registrant or used or referred to by the registrant;
(iii) The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the registrant; and
(iv) Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the registrant to the purchaser.
(6) That, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Exchange Act (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act) that is incorporated by reference in the Registration Statement shall be deemed to be a new Registration Statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.
(7) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of each Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
(8) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to file an application for the purpose of determining the eligibility of the trustee to act under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act in accordance with the rules and regulations prescribed by the SEC under Section 305(b)2 of the Trust Indenture Act.
II-5
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Tulsa, State of Oklahoma, on this 5th day of November, 2009.
| MAGELLAN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, L.P. | ||
| By: | MAGELLAN GP, LLC, its general partner | |
| By: | /S/ DON R. WELLENDORF | |
| Name: | Don R. Wellendorf | |
| Title: | President and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) | |
| By: | /S/ JOHN D. CHANDLER | |
| Name: | John D. Chandler | |
| Title: | Senior Vice-President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer (Principal Financial & Accounting Officer) | |
II-6
Power of Attorney
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each individual whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Don R. Wellendorf and Lonny E. Townsend, and each of them, either one of whom may act without joinder of the other, his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all pre- and post- effective amendments to this Registration Statement (including any Registration Statement for the same offering that is to be effective upon filing pursuant to Rule 462(b) promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933), and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, granting unto said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents, and each of them, or the substitute or substitutes of any or all of them, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated.
| Signature |
Capacity |
Date | ||||
| /S/ DON R. WELLENDORF |
Chairman of the Board, President, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (Principal Executive Officer) | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| Don R. Wellendorf | ||||||
| /S/ JOHN D. CHANDLER |
Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (Principal Financial Officer) | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| John D. Chandler | ||||||
| /S/ WALTER R. ANHEIM |
Director of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| Walter R. Arnheim | ||||||
| /S/ ROBERT G. CROYLE |
Director of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| Robert G. Croyle | ||||||
| /S/ PATRICK C. EILERS |
Director of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| Patrick C. Eilers | ||||||
| /S/ JAMES R. MONTAGUE |
Director of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| James R. Montague | ||||||
| /S/ GEORGE A. O’BRIEN, JR. |
Director of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| George A. O’Brien, Jr. | ||||||
| /S/ BARRY R. PEARL |
Director of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| Barry R. Pearl | ||||||
| /S/ JAMES C. KEMPNER |
Director of Magellan GP, LLC, General Partner of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. | November 5, 2009 | ||||
| James C. Kempner | ||||||
II-7
INDEX TO EXHIBITS
| 1.1* | — | Form of Underwriting Agreement. | ||
| 2.1+ | — | Agreement Relating to Simplification of Capital Structure Agreement, dated as of March 3, 2009, by and among Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., Magellan GP, LLC, Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P. and Magellan Midstream Holdings GP, LLC (filed as Exhibit 2.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 4, 2009). | ||
| 2.2+ | — | Amendment No. 1, dated as of August 6, 2009, to the Agreement Relating to Simplification of Capital Structure, dated as of March 3, 2009, by and among Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., Magellan GP, LLC, Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P. and Magellan Midstream Holdings GP, LLC. (filed as Exhibit 2.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed August 10, 2009). | ||
| 3.1+ | — | Fifth Amended and Restated Agreement of Limited Partnership of Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. dated as of September 28, 2009 (filed as Exhibit 3.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 30, 2009). | ||
| 3.2+ | — | Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of Magellan GP, LLC dated as of September 28, 2009 (filed as Exhibit 3.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 30, 2009). | ||
| 4.1** | — | Form of Senior Indenture. | ||
| 4.2** | — | Form of Subordinated Indenture. | ||
| 4.3* | — | Form of Senior Debt Securities. | ||
| 4.4* | — | Form of Subordinated Debt Securities | ||
| 4.5+ | — | Unit Purchase Rights Agreement, dated as of December 4, 2008, between Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent, which includes the
Form of Rights Certificates as Exhibit A and the Summary of Rights to Purchase Common Units as Exhibit B (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Registration Statement on Form 8-A filed on December 5, 2008). | ||
| 4.6+ | — | Amendment No. 1, dated as of March 3, 2009, to Unit Purchase Rights Agreement, dated as of December 4, 2008, between Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Computershare Trust Company, N.A., as Rights Agent (filed as Exhibit 4.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed March 4, 2009). | ||
| 5.1** | — | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. as to the legality of the securities being registered. | ||
| 8.1** | — | Opinion of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. relating to tax matters. | ||
| 10.1+ | — | Contribution and Assumption Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2009, by and among Magellan Midstream Holdings, L.P., Magellan Midstream Holdings GP, LLC, Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. and Magellan GP, LLC (filed as Exhibit 10.2 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 30, 2009). | ||
| 10.2+ | — | IDR Entity Assumption Agreement, dated as of September 28, 2009, by and among Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P., Magellan IDR LP, LLC and Magellan IDR, L.P. (filed as Exhibit 10.1 to Current Report on Form 8-K filed September 30, 2009). | ||
| 12.1** | — | Statement of Computation of Ratio of Earnings to Fixed Charges. | ||
| 23.1** | — | Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. | ||
| 23.2** | — | Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 5.1). | ||
| 23.3** | — | Consent of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P. (contained in Exhibit 8.1). | ||
| 24.1** | — | Powers of Attorney (contained on signature pages). | ||
| 25.1*** | — | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification respecting the Senior Indenture. | ||
| 25.2*** | — | Form T-1 Statement of Eligibility and Qualification respecting the Subordinated Indenture. | ||
| * | To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a current report on Form 8-K of the registrant. |
| ** | Filed herewith. |
| *** | To be filed under subsection (a) of Section 310 of the Trust Indenture Act of 1939, as amended. |
| + | Such exhibit has heretofore been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission as part of the filing indicated and is incorporated herein by reference. |
II-8